Risen From Ashes
by snowflake2410
Summary: House Pyralis, Relatives to the Targaryens. Just as House Reyne, every Pyralis has been turned into nothing but mere ash and memory. All except one. Ophelia never knew who she was but when is revealed as the last Pyralis, she is soon thrust into a new world of deceit and limitations. As the saying goes: You can try to burn a Phoenix, but they always manage to survive.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, so this is my Game of Thrones fanfiction. Now, I know that George R.R. Martin hates it when people make fanfiction of his work and if this offensive to him, I'm sorry. I love G.O.T and I wanted to make a fanfiction for some time now. Anyway, read and review please! :)**

3rd P.O.V. Highgarden

 _"Rowtag, they killed Rowtag!"_

 _Seraphine had to sit herself down at the news._

 _Rowtag, Lord of Highgarden and Warden of the South is dead._

 _Her cousin is dead._

 _Her husband is dead._

 _The tears came freely down from her crimson eyes and stained her rosy cheeks. She put her hands of over her eyes and softly wept for the love of her life. This damned war was taking everything away from her._

 _The Knight who delivered the news swallowed._

 _The rumors were true._

 _Even when upset, it only enhances the mysterious beauty of the women from House Pyralis._

 _The silence was broken by a desolate voice, coming from the figure who was staring out the window, with watered dark crimson eyes, towards the fire raged hills in the distance._

 _"I don't believe it."_

 _The Knight sighed. He knew this woman would be in denial, after all it did seem impossible._

 _Rowtag was an excellent fighter and tactician. One of the best in Seven Kingdoms, plus the Riverlands. He had been trained in multiple types of combat and was as sharp as a needle._

 _However, Ned Stark was better. While Rowtag Pyralis had the training, he did not have the grit or the stomach to kill someone he once considered a close friend. Ned Stark did though, and this made him better._

 _"My Lady, I saw it myself, from a distance. He was beheaded."_

 _Gellian saw as her body went rigid at this new information, something he immediately regretted telling her._

 _Another moment of silence._

 _"Who?"_

 _"I'm not sure what you mean, My Lady. Who what?"_

 _Seraphine snapped her head around and her dark crimson eyes began to glow a bright gold. In a dark voice she asked, "Who killed my husband?"_

 _The knight gulped in fear of the ethereal being._

 _"Ned Stark."_

 _Seraphine looked down, the anger fading, as well as the gold glow in her eyes, guilt over their past actions bubbling up in her stomach. "Of course he would. He has every reason to kill him. Every single reason in the world."_

 _The news hurt that their former friend killed her husband, but not as much as other things._

 _Seraphine sat back down in the chair, looking out the window again, examing the fields that surrounded her home._

 _"Is that all you came to tell me, Ser Gellian?"_

 _Gellian shook his head. "We're losing the war. Rhaegar is dead, as well as Ellia and her children. Jaime Lannister killed the king."_

 _Seraphine's eyes widened at this, yet her demeanor remained calm._

 _"If the king and the prince are dead, then how is it the war still continues on? What more could they want?"_

 _Gellian took a breath and said what he needed to, for they were wasting too much time talking. He needed to get her out, NOW! They didn't have much time left._

 _"Robert wants blood. He wants the blood of every Targaryen. He wants the blood of the Dragon...and the Phoenix."_

 _Seraphine turned her full body around this time, and covered her mouth in shock._

 _"The Phoenix? WE DIDN'T START THIS DAMN WAR! We only wanted to help out family, it was our obligation to do so." Even telling herself this couldn't rid the demons that tortured her with guilt from the mistakes she and her husband made this past year._

 _Gellian nodded, "That is true yes, but you are the Targaryen's biggest supporters. If they were to make a return, you would be their strongest allies. Not to mention if he had killed every Targaryen, your family would be next in line for the Iron Throne. You hold a position of great power, and it is too much of a risk to keep you alive, a risk Robert is not willing to take. They are slaughtering your family as we speak."_

 _Seraphine nodded slowly and got up. She walked to the window, examining the fields once more while she played with the necklace that sat on her collarbone._

 _She turned to the sandy-haired knight._

 _"What do I do then?"_

 _Gellian walked over to her, and started to pull Seraphine by her forearm._

 _He pulled her out of the new and unused nursery, leading her down the hallway._

 _"I arranged transport on a boat heading towards Braavos. There you'll make your way to an associate of the Spider. He has your cousins in a safe house. You still have family, and you'll be tasked as their guardian."_

 _Seraphine walked along side Gellian at a fast pace through the corridors of the castle._

 _"What cousins do you speak of?"_

 _Gellian didn't bother to look at her as they turned another sharp corner._

 _"Viserys and Daenerys."_

 _Seraphine's heart swelled at the thought of taking care of the new baby, Daenerys and her small five-year-old cousin, Viserys._

 _Seraphine nodded in agreement to Gellian. She needed to make it alive, for her cousins. She needed to protect them. To protect her own child._

 _As they came into a great hall, shouting from the other side of the massive doors that were the entrance could be heard._

 _"Gellian!" Seraphine gasped gripping tightly on the Knights forearm._

 _"It's gonna be alright, My Lady. I know another way."_

 _They quietly went towards a wall tapestry and Gellian lifted it to reveal a door. He opened it, ushered Seraphine in, dropped the tapestry, and shut the door. Gellian grabbed a torch from the wall and lit it with a spark rock, creating a flame for the torch._

 _They walked what seemed forever until they came to a small boulder._

 _Giving the torch to Seraphine, Gellian pushed the boulder aside with his shoulder and back, until it slowly started to move. It revealed a gap big enough for them to duck through._

 _They went through the gap and came into a clearing. Turning around, Seraphine in the distance could see the castle of Highgarden, several miles away, surrounded by Baratheon and Stark banners._

 _They made it out just in time._

 _Holding back a choked sob, Lady Pyralis did her best to compose herself and followed Gellian._

 _However, Seraphine knew in her heart she would never be back._

 _She would miss Highgarden, the castle's gardens, the festivals, and the memories with it. Though for most of her life she did not spend at Highgarden, this was the place she got married at. This was the place she fell in love. This was the home of her future. But now those dreams and fond memories see gone._

 _Seraphine knew she needed to leave Westeros, for there wasn't much time and more important things were at stake._

 _"Where will I get the money for transport? "_

 _Gellian didn't say anything but with his back turned, he held up a medium sized bag._

 _"Before I came and got you, I went to your room. Rowtag told me before battle, should he die, I am to get this from your room and take you out of the country."_

 _"He knew about Varys' plan?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _Seraphine felt a fond smile for her cousin twitching at the corners of her lips. He was always the preparer and Rowtag did not leave any stone unturned when thinking of a plan._

 _They came to a halt and ducked behind some bushes as they saw some riders coming forward, carrying Lannister Banners._

 _They rode past and the duo let out a sigh of relief._

 _Then a voice broke out._

 _"Well, well, well what 'ave we here?"_

 _As soon as Gellian and Seraphine turned around, a sword went through Gellian's shoulder._

 _Seraphine screamed, and tried to run away but ended up running into the arms of another solider._

 _The first solider put his foot to Gellian's chest and pushed his body off of the blade._

 _The Knight of Highgarden closed his lavender eyes and laid still._

 _Seraphine struggled against her captor, screaming her friend's name._

 _"GELLIAN! GELLIAN, WAKE UP! PLEASE!"_

 _"Now calm down miss, we ain't gonna hurt you."_

 _Seraphine kept struggling, even as they bound her arms to a rope and tied the rope to the saddle of a horse. The two men took the satchel of jewels and gold from Gellian and his sword, Fire Forger._

 _The soldiers got on the horse and rode slowly for about a mile and half, with Seraphine in tow, which she detested due to how swollen her feet had gotten._

 _They arrived at a camp with Baratheon, Lannister, Tyrell, Tully, and Stark banners._

 _Seraphine's heart froze in fear as they stopped to enter into the camp._

 _She started to thrash around wildly, trying to get out of her binds._

 _It was no use_

 _'No, no, no! Not here!' She thought to herself with panic._

 _The solider who stabbed Gellian untied her rope from the saddle and dragged her through the camp._

 _The men who saw her recognized her immediately. The look of the Phoenix is a distinct look._

 _Brown-Red hair for women, while the men had Blue-Black hair. Both had dark crimson eyes._

 _The men sniggered and jeered at her._

 _They laughed at her humiliation and defeat._

 _They laughed at her family's failure to win the war._

 _They threw rotten meat and mud at her._

 _Some threatened to slit her throat._

 _One or two even threatened to have their way with her that very night._

 _The men who threatened her were obviously Southern, because as she scanned the crowd for a familiar face or for someone to aide her, Seraphine saw that the men wearing the colors of Northern houses did not partake in the obscene jesting at her expense. Rather, most ignored her or looked sympathetic to her plight._

 _The walk of shame seemed eternal until they came to an enormous tent._

 _The solider went behind her and pushed her inside. They came to a table where two strapping young men were inside talking. The one with black hair narrowed his eyes at the sight of her._

 _The solider behind her kicked the back of her knees._

 _Seraphine gave a yelp of pain as she was forced to bow down to the Usurper._

 _"I got the fire bitch like I was told." The solider spit at her, phlegm landing near her dress. She shivered with disgust._

 _"Turns out Maester Lomys did know where to look. You may tell him that he's free to leave."_

 _Disbelief rocked the young Phoenix as she found out that her trusted Maester was a turncloak._

 _The solider bowed and left._

 _Robert narrowed his eyes at Seraphine, as did Ned._

 _Seraphine, for a moment, became puzzled. The last she heard, these two were no longer speaking to each other, though she didn't know why. Regardless, she pushed any observation about the Stag and the Direwolf from her mind._

 _Robert walked around Seraphine, analyzing her like a predator would a prey, right before striking. "So," he drawled out slowly, "The last bird, trapped in my cage. I would tell the soldiers to bring your sister and father in here to comfort you but, I had them executed earlier. "_

 _'No...it can't be!' She thought desperately. Seraphine glanced to Robert and saw the truth in his eyes. 'Analia was different! She was innocent, she did nothing wrong!'_

 _Seraphine looked down, tears dripping down her face. Their blood was on her and Rowtag's hands._

 _"You're a slippery little one, aren't you? I'm hoping you can do what your relatives refused to do: talk."_

 _Seraphine snapped her head up._

 _"Talk about what? You know fully well that we were dragged into this war the same as everyone else."_

 _Robert knelt down to reach eye level and grasped her chin, his nails digging into her skin. His Baratheon blue eyes met her Pyralis crimson ones. One type of fire meeting another._

 _"Not about the war, idiot woman. About Lyanna. Where is she?"_

 _She jerked her head out of his grasp and looked away._

 _"I don't know." She mumbled quietly. It was a lie. She knew it, and apparently so did Robert._

 _He backhanded her._

 _"LIAR!"_

 _"ROBERT!" Ned's voice broke the tension as the two looked at him._

 _Rubbing the red spot on her cheek, Seraphine looked at Ned. For a moment, she remembered how this was the man who was once considered by her father to be a marital candidate for her. She remembered how when they met for the first time, she noticed how his eyes did not linger on her but rather a far greater beauty, Ashara Dayne._

 _And now she was a widow, Ashara was pregnant with a bastard by some unknown man, and he was married to her closest friend._

 _"Lyanna may be the woman you love, but she is my sister! Seraphine may be family to House Targaryen, but she is still a Lady."_

 _Seraphine felt the guilt bubble up in her again. How could he still defend her after knowing what she and her husband did to his family?_

 _Ned's arms crossed in front of him and his face filled with anger, but his eyes held sympathy for Seraphine._

 _"Even if I told you every bit of valuable information, I would still die. Wouldn't I?"_

 _Robert nodded fiercely, while Ned shook his head._

 _Robert look at Ned in shock._

 _"You would have me let a traitor live? Let a Phoenix live?"_

 _Ned shook his head and answered, "I would not have you spare a traitor." He uncrossed his arms and directed his gaze towards Seraphine._

 _Or rather Seraphine's protruding stomach._

 _"I would have you spare a child and their mother."_

 _Robert's face went red. "You'd have me spare an unborn Phoenix? For what purpose? To be mocked, to hold no lands, or perhaps to bring back any remaining Targaryens? They'll grow up with vengeance in their heart and want revenge for their family. It is more mercy to kill it now."_

 _Ned glared at his friend._

 _"An unborn child is innocent from everything, even their family's crimes. Hasn't there been enough bloodshed and death? A child needs a mother. Seraphine is a woman. What harm could one woman do?"_

 _"It is her title that matters. Her family is next in line for the Iron Throne. Do you really want some unnatural THING to rule over our lands?! I don't. Kill her and kill her brat. The less of them the better."_

 _"I will not allow it! I have had enough of innocent children dying on your orders, Robert. You touch her baby and you will no longer have any hands to touch with."_

 _The two men stood chest to chest as they glared at each other._

 _"Are you threatening me, Stark?"_

 _Then Seraphine knew what she had what she had to do to save the life of her unborn child._

 _She looked up to the ceiling and asked the Gods to forgive her for what she was about to do._

 _She asked for forgiveness from her ancestors for her choice she was about to make._

 _She asked for forgiveness from her family for what she was going decide._

 _She asked that her husband forgive her, because his loyalty for his family (which brought him to his ultimate end) would have been for nothing._

 _She asked that if her unborn child ever find out about what she was about to do, that they would not think any less of her._

 _And most importantly, she asked the Gods for the will to forgive herself._

 _Seraphine took a breath._

 _"I am prepared to make a deal with you, Robert Baratheon."_

 _Robert turned from Ned and glared at her._

 _"Speak and I might listen."_

 _Ned, sensing something was amiss was about to interject, but Seraphine shot him a look that silenced him._

 _"In exchange for the life, safety, and overall well-being of my unborn child, I will give you the information you seek. ONLY, if I get a written agreement for my baby's life and safety from you or anyone who wishes to do them harm. I will be allowed to live at least until my baby is a year old, and after that time, you may execute me if you wish."_

 _Robert looked gob smacked, while Ned couldn't believe what she was saying._

 _Seraphine turned to look at Eddard, and she shut her eyes tightly, opening them up again to reveal red, watered eyes._

 _"Ned...I want you to be the guardian of my child. Teach them how you wish to, raise them in the North, and perhaps... perhaps they won't make the same mistakes their family did."_

 _Before Ned could say anything Robert said, "I accept."_

 _Ned looked at Robert in anger and disbelief._

 _"What?!"_

 _Robert ignored Ned and bent down to Seraphine's eye level again._

 _"Here is the deal: I will execute you eight months after your baby is born. If it is a boy, I will kill it and if it is a girl she may live. I won't risk a boy trying to go after me and take back Highgarden when he becomes of age. If it's a girl, she will know nothing of her heritage until she's sixteen and Ned will raise her as he wishes. She'll be married off to Ned's choice at seventeen and will hold no lands and have no dowry. He will keep me updated monthly on her growth and if she shows any signs of being like you, she'll die. After this conversation you'll be a formal prisoner of the North and of House Stark. You'll be escorted to Winterfell where you will give birth, and where you'll eventually be executed. Is that understood?"_

 _A moment of pause ensured._

 _Eddard couldn't believe what he had to bear witness to._

 _In one way, it was despicable on how quickly Seraphine was willing to betray her family._

 _In another, it was the most admirable scene ever; a mother willing to be executed for the safety of her child._

 _"I understand. I trust the honor of the Starks to take care of my baby." Ned shook his head at his friend._

 _He couldn't believe Robert was agreeing to this atrocity, especially without asking if he was willing to take on a ward when he'd barely become a father himself._

 _On second thought, yes he could._

 _"Good, I'll draw up some papers soon. Now tell me what I want to know."_

 _"Lyanna is imprisoned at the Tower of Joy from what I last heard. She could be somewhere else by now but that's the best lead I have."_

 _"And when did you hear of this information?" Robert inquired gruffly._

 _"A fortnight ago." Seraphine answered looking down in shame._

 _Ned stared at her and shook his head. He knew that she was not the one who helped aid Rhaegar in his endeavours- no, that was Rowtag. But her being aware of where his sister was at proved that Seraphine Pyralis had a bigger part in this war than she let on._

 _Ned started to move out of the tent but before he could leave Seraphine shouted, "Wait! There's something else you need to know."_

 _She took a deep breath and looked both men in the eyes as she released the information that would officially deem her a traitor to both sides of the war._

 _"The Prince Viserys and the Princess Daenerys Targaryen are alive. They are somewhere in Essos, though I know not where."_

 _********************_  
 _After betraying her family, Seraphine was escorted to small guarded tent._

 _And she was lucky it was guarded because when news reached the camp that Howland Reed and Ned Stark were with Lyanna when she drew her last breath, Robert was absolutely beside himself._

 _She could hear his howling with pain as he went about the camp shouting in a drunken rage._

 _He wanted Seraphine's head right then and there as a form of repayment for his lost love, but he already drawn up papers with Ned Stark as a witness to keep Seraphine alive for the time being, so legally he could not kill her. Seraphine kept to herself in the tent, afraid to step foot outside. Everyone looked at her with disdain and hatred._

 _After six weeks Ned, Seraphine, and Ned's bastard baby (Yes, she was quite shocked when she learned of Ned's infidelity) made their way to the gates of Winterfell. He informed her on the way that his wife would be arriving the same time they would, with his newborn legitimate son arriving in a couple weeks aftwards with a Septa and the rest of Catelyn's possessions._

 _The young Phoenix did not respond much, for she had no reason to judge._

 _After all, who was the one who betrayed their family between the two?_

 _A guard led her inside where she passed her old acquaintance, Catelyn Tully, in the hall._

 _She was exiting out from one of the rooms, her red hair shining bright and her Tully blue eyes curious as to what a Pyralis was doing at Winterfell._

 _"Sera, is that you?" Seraphine didn't answer, even as she brushed her shoulder against Cat's._

 _"What are you doing here? Seraphine!"_

 _She stayed silent as the girl from Riverrun called out to her. She was led into a comfy bedroom with barred windows._

 _The guard shut the door behind her and she heard a 'click'._

 _She looked through the window, down at the courtyard where Catelyn was seen running to greet Eddard. She could see her stop abruptly as Catelyn caught sight of the cute little baby bastard boy, and start to shout at Ned._

 _All over an innocent baby, a tiny person who did nothing wrong._

 _'The Gods do have a way of being ironic.' Seraphine thought._

 **So anyway, read, review, and rest easy! :) Things will switch back from the past to present for several chapters. I will be changing some minor details but it's overall canon and will be sticking to the plot pretty closely.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I own nothing except for my imagination. Quick note, this is also on Wattpad!**

 **Thanks to all who reviewed, followed, and favorited! Here's the next chapter.**

 **1st P.O.V. Winterfell**  
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Simplicity.

I live my life in simplicity.

I like my tea with honey.

I like my flowers wild.

And I love rest after a hard day's work.

Simplicity rules my life.

My first memory is even simple.

It was of snow, as in the object, not the person.

 _I was two, and I remember walking around the courtyard with My Lady, then all of sudden, there it was._

 _It was falling slowly and gracefully out of the sky._

 _First it landed on my nose, then it landed on the ground._

 _I reached out my hand to touch the foreign substance, and it landed on the top of my finger._

 _It was a slow succession, but soon the flow of the falling white glitter was everywhere._

 _My left hand was still clasped in My Lady's right and I pointed my finger at her._

 _"Is it?" I asked._

 _She bent down to my level, and took some of the white stuff from my hair to show me._

 _"That, my little bird, is snow." She smiled at me through a thin veil of crimson locks that were whipping in front of her face due to the flurry of snow._

 _"Pretty." I replied looking at the snow that was falling on her hair, reaching out to touch some._

My life is as simplistic as could be.

I'm not the richest person in the world, nor am I the poorest.

I have a home, whereas some people do not.

I got a job, whereas some people are still looking.

I have people that care for me too.

I consider myself pretty lucky.

My days are the same.

Every morning I get up, early enough to rise with the sun.

I get dressed in my same work dress I do every day.

It's a simple yellow one, with white under sleeves and a rope belt.

I also put on my worn leather flats.

I take a basket from the kitchen and a hog from the stables and go look for truffles, courtesy of the hog for finding them.

Once my basket is half full, I return to Winterfell and put the hog back.

I go into the coop and get some eggs from the chickens, make sure the coop is closed, I go to the kitchens and prep for breakfast.

I cut all the vegetables, stir the soup, and occasionally I have hand in actually cooking something, though not often.

The cook is often afraid I might get hurt being near the fire.

Anyway, after the vegetables are chopped I go and get a bucket of water from the well.

I put the water in a pitcher, and place the pitcher on the table after I've filled everybody's cup.

I set the table, sit everyone where they're to be seated.

When the crow squawks, I go wake Lady Sansa and Lady Arya. I set out their dress for the day, though Sansa usually wears something else and Arya usually throws the dress back at me, insisting that she wears trousers for the day. After much debating, and the occasional interference with Septa Mordane, Arya relents with much hesitation.

I help Lady Sansa bathe, get dressed, and fix her hair.

I make her bed after she's gone to breakfast, and I dump out her chamber pot and clean it out.

Not my best part of the day, I'll admit.

I wash my hands, and by this time the Starks are halfway through breakfast.

This is the part of the day where I actually get to sit at a table and eat, though not with the Starks.

No, that would be too improper as Lady Sansa loves to remind me.

However, I don't mind.

Little does she know, this is my favorite part of the day.

I sit near the end of the hall where the Maesters, Masters, Captains, Wards, Bastards, and Misfits sit.

My spot is always next to my closest friend in Winterfell, Theon Greyjoy.

This is my favorite part of the day because of all of the stories that everybody at the table has to share.

At our table we never have a dull moment.

After breakfast is finished, I clear up our table, and escort the little Ladies to their lessons.

I then return to help with the rest of the tables, and I go back and sit in on the young Lord's and Lady's History lessons, as per My Lady's request.

I also sit in on Arithmetic.

And Music.

And Dancing.

And Court Politics.

And Stitching.

I think My Lady wants me to learn all of these because I'm a handmaiden most of the time to Lady Sansa. As a handmaiden, she probably wants me to be educated and courtly so I won't embarrass the Starks if they ever have important people over.

Though sometimes My Lady lets me skip out during History to run errands in Wintertown.

During stitching, I excuse myself to go out to the vegetable patch and dig for some potatoes, onions, and carrots for dinner.

I make sure to put on my apron so I won't dirty my dress.

I bring them to the kitchen, wash them off and do whatever the cook wants me to do with them.

I then get some more water from the well, and make tea for My Lady, Lady Sansa, Lord Stark, and Maester Luwin.

I make sure to take off my apron before I deliver everyone's tea, because if Lord Stark catches me in it, it tends to make him a bit disturbed.

After years of practice, I am proud to say I have finally managed to balance everyone's tray on me!

I put My Lady's on my left forearm, hold Maester Luwin's in my left hand, Lady Sansa's on my right forearm, and Lord Stark's on my head.

I ignore the usual stares as I climb the steps to Maester Luwin's wing.

I knock in his door with my foot, and he answers always smiling at me, and takes his tea, which always comes with goat's milk.

I then carefully slide the two trays on my arms to my hands, then go to the other side of the castle.

I reach Lady Sansa's room who chastises me for knocking on her door with my foot.

I hand her the tray of tea, which she always takes lemons and sugar with.

I make my way to Lord Stark's study and knock with my foot.

"Tea time!" I call out cheerfully. I always make sure to smile when I approach Lord Stark or else he might relentlessly question me about my happiness.

I place his tray on his desk near his mound of papers and letters he always has on there.

He thanks me as he pours himself a cup. Lord Stark always takes his tea plain.

No muss or fuss, like the Lord himself.

I exit and make my way to My Lady's study, and knock with my right hand.

She opens the door for me, and I place her tray on a small round table for her.

She always takes her tea with just sugar, and there's always two cups and a small bowl of honey.

She has me sit down and she pours me a cup and stirs in honey as she has me read poetry to her for about an hour and half.

After finishing the tea, I go and collect everyone else's trays and wash all of the cups, bowls, spoons, and pots once I reach the kitchens.

After I'm done, I have free time to what I please.

Usually I go to the Godswood to pray or to the fields to pick flowers, but sometimes Lady Sansa has me go to the market to pick up fabric for her.

After some me time, I go to where the young Master's are almost done practicing weapons training.

I carefully collect all of the weapons, while Lord Robb and Jon help me.

Robb never speaks to me.

Jon does, and I'm glad he does.

Not many of the other servants speak to me at the castle, not even the two girls, Katherine and Emily, that I share a room with.

They think that I might have opinions that I'm better than they are because I'm not quite a servant and not quite a handmaiden.

I'm somewhere in between, and though I don't fit in either position completely, I'm comfortable where I am.

It's always been that way.

After weapons training, I go the stables and feed the horses hay.

Then I wash my face and head to the kitchens where I bring all of the food out to House Stark, and any of their guests they might have.

It's my job to serve Lady Sansa and Lord Robb.

Which is one of the most difficult parts of the day because, Robb always glares away from me, and Sansa always says how I serve her too little or too much.

After they've finished, I clean up with all the other servants.

Then I can eat dinner in the kitchens.

After I'm done I help Lady Sansa bathe, undress, and get ready for bed.

I have to empty out her chamber pot again, but I don't have to clean it until morning.

After Lady Sansa is asleep, I go down to the training yards and talk with Theon and Jon until Robb shows up, who stays silent until I leave them be.

I go to my room where Katherine and Emily ignore me, though sometimes they ridicule me until they go to sleep or until Emily leaves for a night's escapade with Theon.

I dress in my comfy old nightgown and read until the candle burns out.

Then I fall asleep.

The cycle begins itself over and over, everyday.

Some people might think it dull, others nice.

I love the consistency of everything, because without it, things would be constantly changing.  
I have never really been fond of change and I don't suppose, I will be.

Unlucky for me however, my life wasn't going to be consistent with everything I knew.

Change decides to enter into your life whether you're ready or not, and I was most definitely not ready.

I guess fate decided to change The Life of Ophelia.

Or rather it be known, my life.

And it all started with some spilled spices and a very bad whipping.

 **Alright, well there's the first chapter. I wanted to show the events of Ophelia's life because there is an emphasis on it later on in the story. So basically, an informative filler. So please read, review, and rest easy. :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**I own nothing except Ophelia and House Pyralis.**

 **I get most of Ophelia's clothing from Armstreet, in fact the website actually inspired me to write a story. Also, any of Ophelia's clothes described in this story can be seen on the Wattpad version of this story.**

 **Anyways thanks everyone who's been following the story, reviewing it, or adding it to your Favorites list! I'm so grateful, as reviews make my day! :D**

 **So anyways read, review, and rest easy! :)**

 **First P.O.V Winterfell-Wintertown**  
 ******************************

It was raining all week and it finally let up the night before the Gods decided to change my life.

I got up to do my normal routine, with the exception of me wearing my red coat.

My coat is one of the few nice things I have, gifted to me on my last name day from Theon.

"Did you pay the Iron Price for this beautiful jacket?" I teased.

He gave me a cocky smirk and mock bowed to me, "Of course! Only the best for you."

This jacket is so beautiful, so I do my best not to wear it often to preserve it's look. Its color was bright red hue, and had a gold and green detailing on the trim.

I also don't get cold that much since it is still Summer, but today during breakfast My Lady told me to dress warmer if I was to go into town today.

So I put it on.

I grabbed my basket, and headed towards the stables.

Today was the day I would be going to Wintertown as per Lady Sansa's request.  
She wanted me to pick up some fabric for her.  
My trip is during their lessons, so there's plenty of time to walk around town and browse a bit, before I have to go back.

Theon and Jon are escorting me. Theon always escorts me, and Jon rarely ever comes along, but today I think he needed to get out of the castle.

This morning at breakfast Jon entered the hall looking a bit unkempt.

My Lady pursed her lips as he entered and said rather harshly, "If that wretch of a bastard is going to sit in here with all of us, the least he can do is be clean like all of us."

Lord Stark didn't look up as he said, "Leave the boy alone, Robb looks just as scraggly. His mop of curls is becoming longer than Arya's hair."

They started to squabble about Jon, until Jon abruptly stood up and politely excused himself from breakfast, without eating.

I excused myself soon afterwards, and found Jon eating in the kitchen, with the servants.  
That's when I asked if he would come with me and Theon to Wintertown.

He, of course, eagerly agreed. He didn't have lessons with the rest of the Stark children, much like Theon, so he was free to come.

I came up to the stables, basket in hand.

Theon's back was towards me, so I startled him when I asked, "Why don't we ever walk to Wintertown? It's only a couple of miles, and riding might spoil the first nice day in almost a fortnight."

Theon, who was in the process of adjusting the saddle, jumped up in shock.

"By the Drowned God! Are you trying to scare me to death?"

"No, anyway that's not important. Why can't we walk to today?"

"Glad to know you'll take my death so seriously." Theon replied sarcastically.

When he saw I was looking at him expecting an answer, he sighed.

"It takes an hour and half to walk to Wintertown, and an hour and a half to walk back. That's three wasted hours, and I need to get back by a certain time. I have stuff to do. _You_ have stuff to do."

"Lord Stark said I could have the day off, besides it's a beautiful day! It stopped raining last night."

Theon attached the reins to the horse as he spoke, "Of course... last night it stopped raining. If it stopped raining several nights ago, then yes I would consider walking, but it stopped raining last night. The ground is too wet to walk on and we'll both get dirty. You saw how Lady Stark acted this morning with Jon; if she sees either of us all full of dirt, well then we might as well flog ourselves."

I huffed. "You're exaggerating. My Lady would never flog us. Besides, that's not a good enough reason."

Theon's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "Being flogged isn't a good enough reason for you?"

"No it isn't."

"How about the fact that riding is already dangerous? If we walk we could be attacked by Wildlings, and then I'd die trying to defend you."

"So what if you'd die? It doesn't change the fact that today is absolutely beautiful."

"Your lack of empathy over my death is concerning." He said bluntly.

"Hmm...fine. I give you permission to take me to Wintertown, by horse."

"You give me permission!?"

"Yes." I beamed up at him.

Theon sighed melodramatically, and put his face in the saddle.

"Why do I even put up with you? Why don't I just leave you in the middle of the town square, and be done with it?"

"You will leave her in the town square."

Theon and I turned to glance behind me where Jon Snow had his arms crossed, with his ever-so-worried expression on his face.

I don't actually believe Jon was worried for me. I believe he was born with that look on his face.

Theon narrowed his eyes.

"And where'd you hear that, Bastard?"

"From your mouth when you were shooting it off to Robb last night." He replied coolly.

"Oh really? And what exactly did I say, because as I recall, you weren't present when I was talking to Robb last night."

"I was, you ignored me. You said and I quote "While she's shopping, I'll slip on over and visit Ros. It's been a while since I pumped some iron into her."

My cheeks turned bright red, and my eyes widened.

Theon looked as if he was just accused of wearing dresses in private.

I turned towards him, my shock still on my face. "Were you really going to leave me? We always run our errands together!"

He started to stutter to make up an excuse, but I couldn't hear him.

Would Theon really leave me?

For a whore?

Yes, I'm not oblivious to the fact that Theon is a whore himself, he just doesn't get paid.

But he always spends our town errands together!

It's been that way since we were old enough to go into town by ourselves.

This made me sad.

It made me sad because I wasn't important enough for the young Kraken to spend time with me. Despite our many differences in our personalities, Theon and I have always tended to gravitate to each other. Ever since he came to Winterfell, he has always had my back together. Never once has he left me for someone else when we were spending time together. Unless My Lady or Lord Stark beckoned him, he was always with me a hundred percent of the time.

The question on my mind was 'Why now?'.

Had I done something to make him upset the other days?

Had he come to the realization that he has better things to do than to spend time with the not-servant/ not handmaiden?

Was he mocked for being seen with me? Had I caused him distress?

Perhaps he really did want to spend time with a whore, rather than me.

Suddenly I got angry, especially at this whore who Theon was making time for.

Who did this hussy think she was to be stealing him from me?

She probably only knew him for several months.

I've known him for more than several years!

I'm more important, and he should be spending time with me!

I pushed these thoughts out of my head as I came back into reality.

 _'Theon was a grown man_ , I thought to myself, _how he wants spends his time should have no effect on me.'_

No matter how much I tried to reason with myself, I was still plenty angry.

"It was just a joke, honestly."

Huh, was Theon talking this entire time?

"Jon, is your horse ready?" I asked him.

"Yes."

"Good then, I'll ride with you." I turned around to walk with Jon to his horse.

"But you always ride with me!" Theon protested, grabbing my hand.

I yanked it back and glared at him.

"I don't ride with men who ride prostitutes."

I walked besides Jon, and smiled at him, though I was not in a smiling mood.

"So, I have a list of things Lady Sansa wants me to pick up. After I'm done getting the stuff for your sister, we'll have loads of time to explore and look around."

Jon glanced at me with his stormy grey eyes, then looked ahead.

"Okay."

We got on his saddle, and started to trot off towards the town.

Theon was right, riding is a lot faster.

What takes a hour and a half by foot, takes almost a hour by horse.

That didn't make the ride itself an _easier._

Riding with Jon was kind of awkward.

We kept the conversation light, about things like what was for breakfast, or what he was learning in his separate lessons with Theon.

We talked about the weather, and my upcoming nameday.

My relationship with Winterfell's bastard is vastly different from Winterfell's ward.

With the ward, it's very lighthearted and bright.

With the bastard it's humorous but always awkward.

Jon likes to keep to himself, that's why. I think he thinks he's not good enough for anyone in the North, even the servants.

He's not really part of the family, but he's not a servant either.

He's a Snow, and that's a complication on its own level.

As similar as our situations are, My Lady has never treated me the way she's treated Jon. In fact, in every event where it was deemed appropriate, she had me be with the family while Jon wasn't even allowed to attend the event.

I've never known why she preferred me over him, though I do have my own theories.

I think My Lady pities me, which hurts in a way but it isn't so bad.

My Lady was the one who found me. Apparently when I was but a mere babe, I was left outside the gates of the castle. My Lady had been out on a walk in the early morning when she heard shrill squalling. My Lady usually never goes on walks in the morning, but as the story goes she was in mood for one that morning. That's where she found me, all bundled up in a crate. It was cold, so she quickly got me out of the box and held me to keep me warm.

There was no note, no sigil of any other house, and no personal affects that could've belonged to my parents.

It was unknown who brought me to Winterfell. I could be the daughter of a Knight. I could be the youngest child in a family too big to feed me. I could be the bastard daughter of a Noblewoman or a Nobleman. Some of the older servants even whispered to me that I had been brought to the castle by the fairies, that I am a changling. The folks are usually the extremely superstitious ones and tend to stay away from me.

Despite not knowing who I belonged to or where I came from, My Lady took me in and care for me as one of her own. She even nursed me herself, if you can believe it. In my early years I was educated with the other girls but as time went on, it become more and more inappropriate for me to associate myself so familiarly with other highborn children, so I was put to work and had to sleep in the servants' wing. I was about ten and one when this happened. The first night I was so scared of the servants' quarters, I ran to Lord and Lady Stark's room and cuddled up with them in the night. The next morning, they actually took the whole ordeal in a rather fond manner. Lord Stark even laughed about it as Lady Stark stoked my head, soothing me when I tearfully regaled to them about the eerie noises at night. Soon they paired me in a room with two other servant girls my age and had me do chores that they thought I would like to make the transition easier on me.

The Starks are the only family I have ever known, and even though we have no relation by blood Lord and Lady Stark have never made me feel unwelcome. Their children at times perhaps, but never them.

So when My Lady treats Jon the way she does, I feel conflicted. I don't know how to help or how to make it better for either of them, but I do try. Jon and Theon are the only two in the entire North that I feel that I can relate to on some manner.

You see, Jon was the first person I ever spoke to at the castle, but Theon was my first real friend.

I remember when he initially arrived. It was after the Greyjoy Rebellion and when Lord Stark returned, he brought along a frightened boy with him.

Theon was still a child in many ways, and was very despondent from everybody.

He took his meals in his room, and never uttered a word the first several months.

The Starks tried to make him comfortable, but how comfortable can you be when you are technically a prisoner?

I broke the ice that surrounded the fortress that was Theon Greyjoy.

I was still pretty young, maybe ten and one. It was around the time I initially started my life as a serving girl.

I remember seeing him sulking by the courtyard, watching Jon and Robb train with Ser Roderick.

I had a plate of lemon cakes that I was supposed to take to Lady Sansa, as it was to be her surprise for doing well in all her lessons.

Yes, she was pretty young and already acquired a taste for them.

But I gave them to Theon instead.

I remember the incredulous look on his face as he silently pointed to himself as I approached him, holding out the cakes.

He shook his head and continued to look on, but I smacked his shoulder.

He turned and glared at me, but I still stood there, unwavering, holding up the cakes.

When Theon saw I wasn't going to let up, he cautiously took the cakes from me.

He finally took a bite of one, because I wouldn't leave until he did.

That day Sansa threw a fit over the cakes that were supposed to be hers, and I was sent to bed without dinner for instigating that ruckus.

I didn't mind though, not if the outcome was seeing Theon smile for the first time.

Over course Lord Stark saw the exchange, and he gave me a special task.

To bring the Prince of the Iron Islands his food.

So I did, and eventually we started to talk.

Soon, the Young Kraken began speaking with others as well.

By the end of the year, he was the Theon we all know and love.

Well anyway, we arrived in town soon enough and Jon hopped down.

He extended a hand, which I graciously took.

As soon as my feet hit the ground, Theon came riding up next to us.

He didn't say anything to either of us. He merely tied up his horse to the post outside of the pub, and went inside.

Jon sighed then looked at me as I watched Theon's retreating back.

I peeked over at Jon, and he gave me a small smile. He turned his head to the end of the road, near the left corner. He pointed out a small stall with colorful balls of red and green.

"I see a stand with fruit over there with lots of pears and apples. Let's get some."

"Okay! I am a bit famished."

"Then we'll get a couple sweet buns too." He said gesturing to the bakery near the fruit stand.

I grinned as he lent me his elbow, and we walked through the busy marketplace of Wintertown.

As bleak as the North can be, there's nothing like coming to the market on some of its best days.

There's tons of traders and merchants selling things from worn shoes to new fabrics, or locally grown vegetables to spices from across the Narrow Sea. You'll never know what you'll find, and that anticipation and surprise makes the market a very exciting place.


	4. Chapter 4

**I own nothing. :'(**  
 **Trigger warning: Violence, Nudity, and tons of blood.**

 **First P.O.V. Wintertown**  
 **...**

Jon and I went towards a man and his family. They had a wooden cart and were selling fruit.  
"Stay here." I nodded as he left to go buy some.

I nervously scratched my arm as I stared at all the people coming and going.

"Why so afraid dearest?" An old voice croaked.

I turned to see an old woman who was sitting on a wooden box. She had greying hair, a wooden cane, and was wearing rags. In front of her on the muddy ground was a bag with a couple of coins in it. Her face had lines, each one telling a story. All of them deep and defined.

I gave her a small smile and shook my head.

"I'm not scared, My Lady. I'm just a bit disappointed."

"Ahhh." She mumbled. "How curious."

"What's curious?" Jon arrived. His arms were carrying a couple of pears and apples.

"I'm not exactly sure." I said.

It was true. I didn't exactly know what this conversation was heading towards, considering we haven't spoken for that long.

But I really wanted to find out.

"Are you in any trouble, M'am?" Asked Jon with as much caution as he could muster.

The old crone glanced between Jon and I, quirking an eyebrow.

"Oh!" She exclaimed. She put a hand on her forehead, closing her eyes, and started to feign faint.

I thought it was quite entertaining, whereas Jon was tensing up.

"I am quite famished, if only there were kind enough people in the world to spare me a crumb. I would surely repay them the favor."

From the corner of my eye I saw how Jon's grip on the fruit got a bit tighter, slightly turning his body away as if to protect a newborn baby from a lion.

I knelt down, and gave the woman a gentle smile.

"Well then we'll just have to remedy that, won't we?"

I felt Jon sigh behind me, and hand over an apple.

"That was going to be yours." He murmured.

"I don't mind."

I put the apple in the woman's withered hands.

The woman have me a smile, with some teeth missing.

She bit into the apple, it's juice dripping from her chin, with her chewing loudly.

"How thoughtful of you to give me this, now I may give you something back."

She set down her bitten apple next to her. The crone caressed my hands, then suddenly yanked me down to sit in front of her.

Jon moved hastily (although his arms were still clutching the fruit) and stood right next to me.  
"What are you doing?" He asked gruffly.

"Don't worry. I need to see her eyes." The woman responded.

She looked deep into my eyes, and then rolled her eyes into the back of her head.  
I froze, thinking something was wrong until she started to speak.

 **"Events are to cause a change in your life. You will find the answers in the past, and resolves in the distance. There will be four paths. The red one, the yellow one, the grey one, the purple one. Go down grey, and see your heart's dismay. Go down yellow, and be trapped by creatures of darkness. Go down red and see history come alive. Go down purple, and be immersed in honesty. The choice is coming up soon. Two but not the same. Two of noble name. Two to play the game."**

What was this woman talking about?

Paths, Games, and Choices?

What was there to fear about a path?

The woman's eyes closed, and when she opened them she probably saw Jon and I cautiously backing away.

"Can I help you, Dearies?" She asked.

"Ugh..." I didn't know how to respond. Jon just grabbed me by the arm and pulled me away.

He looked me in the eye and said, "Do you know what she was meant?"

I shook my head.

"What if she's a seer?"

His eyes narrowed. "Ophelia, there is no such thing as Seers."

"Well there might be!"

"Do you honestly believe that woman is a Seer?"

We both peered back at the Crone, who was humming a nonsensical tune, swaying back and forth.

"No, not really."

Jon sighed and said plainly, "All that woman is, is a cheat. And she managed to swindle you out of an apple. You are lucky it wasn't more, or else you would never hear the end of it from Lady Catelyn."

He did have a good point.

That woman was rather odd, and she did seem fine now that she had her apple.

"I suppose you're right."

His back straightened and had a stern expression on his face.

"Of course I'm right. I've seen my fair share of trouble with Robb and Theon. This isn't the first time I've seen a swindle. Now, at least you learned a lesson in trusting people."

"I guess I did."

Jon is usually right, but a small part of me still believed that this old woman was no ordinary woman.

Old Nan would say there was more to a person than what meets the eyes.

So would it be completely preposterous of me, however small that fraction might be, that believed this Crone's words of the future?

I sighed and leaned against Jon, so a cart could pass us.

I looked at his pale face which was a pink color, his grey eyes looking at anything but me.

I also blushed at the inappropriate nature of our position.

Even for a bastard and a serving girl, being pressed up against each other was frowned upon.

Especially since we aren't betrothed.

I shuffled back and stared at the ground, suddenly finding my shoes very interesting.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, and shifted his eyes away from me.

"I'm hungry, let's eat."

I didn't argue with that.

We sat by the well in the middle of the square, quietly munching on our fruit.

"Do you ever believe that things might change?" I asked quietly after finishing my pear.

"Is this still about that old woman?"

I shook my head.

"She did make me think, but sometimes the thought crosses my mind when I'm having tea with My Lady or gathering truffles. How long until everything becomes different?"

Jon scoffed. "And would things changing be a nuisance? I'd welcome all rings of The Seven Hells if it would mean change for me."

My eyes widened.

I knew Jon had it worse than the other Stark children, but was it really that horrid?

"Well I guess you should be thankful then." I replied with a gleam in my eye.

"Aye, and why should I?"

"Because we keep the Old Gods." His steely glare of disbelief melted into one of his rare smiles, albeit small.

"Well I don't know about you, but I think we should go check on that ass... I mean Theon."

I giggled, then nodded.

...

When we got back to the tavern, Theon was sitting in a chair, with a fire-haired woman draped across his lap in a matter which would not be suitable if Lord Stark were to see him.

Jealousy flared through me as I saw this woman kissing my best friend on his neck, peppering her lips on his skin, as if she were his wife and this tavern was their bedroom.

I guess they must have sensed someone watching them, because the mysterious woman turned around and caught Jon and me staring at the pair of them. She didn't get off the Kraken's lap, but did at least have the decency to look a bit appalled.

Theon, however, remained impassive. He even glared at Jon and I as if we were the ones doing something wrong.

"Can I help you?" He asked in a cool voice, lifting his mug to take a sip of ale.

If I didn't know him so well, I'd suspect that he was annoyed, but considering I knew him better than most, I could very easily tell that he was hurt.

I didn't do anything though! He was the one who was planning to leave me so he could shag some cheap whore! If anyone had the right to be mad, it was me.

But I wasn't.

Not in the slightest.

Just sad.

Was I considered so lowly in his life that he could turn me away so easily?

I could feel myself getting sweaty with dread at the thought.

"No mate." responded Jon not moving his crossed arms.

"Since when are we mates, Snow?"

"Stop being an ass, and let's get the shopping done. You're wasting my time, and Ophelia's."

Theon pretended to contemplate it for a moment, and then shook his head.

"Nah, I like my time being spent here. But if you want to go ahead and be a servant for a servant, I'm not stopping you. Carry her bags. That's all a bastard is good for."

Theon was on the floor quicker than I could blink. Jon was standing above him, with his fist back on his side. He glanced over at the woman who was previously on Theon's lap, and now was on the ground.  
She seemed as surprised as I was by this turn of events. Jon extended a hand, and she took it.

He stood her up, and said, "Sorry to knock you down Ros, the Squid had it coming to him."

She waved it off, and helped an angry Theon up.

He shoved her away from him, dusting off his clothes in a fury.

"Why did you do that for?!"

Jon sauntered off without responding. I looked back at my friend, who was wiping the blood from his lip. I headed after the Bastard of Winterfell.

He really did move quickly, because I couldn't see him.

I gripped my basket tightly as I made my way through the market.

"Jon!" I called out, trying to see if he was going to yell back.

I felt so bad. Sure Jon was brooding and not the easiest to get along with, but he was a good person in general. I was riddled with complete disappointment at my friend and his treatment of Jon.

My head was constantly turning one way or the other as more and more people started to flood the streets.

'Why are there so many people here today?' I thought to myself

Then, I noticed their expressions, all panicked looking.

"It's coming this way!" a man shouted, his voice full of fear.

I was so distracted looking for Jon, that I didn't notice that a man had lost control of his cart. Apparently his horse saw something that struck it with fear, and was running all over the market. The mayhem it had started, caused people to come in my direction.

I was starting to get pushed around as people tried to escape the runaway cart.

I yelped as a woman, who was holding a child, ran into my shoulder causing me to fall onto a spices stand.

I fell hard on the stand, my weight resulting in the table breaking. The ceramic jars of various exotic spices smashed onto the ground with a huge cloud surrounding me as people were running ahead, trying to get away from the now subdued horse.

As if the pain on my side (Where I hit the table) wasn't bad enough, I lifted my head up slightly to see my basket was reduced to splinters from stampede of people.

That was my favorite (and only basket) gifted to me by Lord Stark when I was ten and three.

I laid my head back down, and took a breath.

As I was just about to stand, a sharp pain in my scalp made me get up.

I cried out as I came face to face with a man who was decorated in orient clothing, who had a look of disgust and hatred on his face.

He was fat and bald and had an air of arrogance surrounding his livid face.

He shook with rage as he yelled, "YOU INSOLENT GIRL! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH IT WILL COST TO REPLACE THOSE SPICES?! THEY CAME ALL THE WAY FROM QUARTH!"

"I'm sorry! It wasn't my fault, someone knocked me over!"

"WHO IS YOUR MASTER?!"

"Please Ser! I have no master!"

"LIAR!"

He started to drag me away from the stand, with his hand still fisted in my hair.

My pleas for him to stop did nothing, and neither did my cries for help as onlookers sneered at me or glanced away, ignoring the debacle as if nothing were going on.

We got to the middle of the town square, where Jon and I had earlier eaten.

For a brief moment I had wondered what we were doing here until I spotted the direction the foreign man was headed: the flogging post.

I started to thrash about, doing everything for the man to loosen his grip so that I may have a chance to escape.

It was all for naught.

We arrived at the post where two bannerman of House Stark were attending it.

One had a spear, while the other maintained a sword.

They were unfamiliar looking as they were probably at their normal post in town. Only a certain handful of skilled soldiers were allowed to be in Winterfell.

One spotted us, and nudged the other who stood up straight.

"What is your business with this girl?" One asked, gesturing to me flailing about.

"This peasant destroyed all my spices. I demand justice!"

The one who stood up straighter looked skeptical and asked, "Is this true, girl?"

"It wasn't my fault!"

The one with the spear leaned up against his weapon and chuckled, "It never is."

"Please! I know Lord Stark, if you could just take me to the castle, I'm sure he would-"

SLAP!

I didn't even realize the man let go of my hair, as my scalp was still screaming in agony.

While both men looked entirely uncomfortable with this situation, they merely stood there and watched the foreign man assault me.

"Isn't there a law for this!?" He inquired loudly.

"Yes. All matters of thievery and damaged property are brought before the Warden of the North and he-"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE DAMN WARDEN OF THE NORTH! I WANT JUSTICE! NOW!" In a lower voice the Bald Man whispered, "I am the Spice King, and I have some very powerful friends. You do not want to cross me."

The two soldiers looked each other, and with immense unease they marched forward and grabbed me by the forearms.

"W-w-what are you doing?! Let me go at one! I know Lady Catelyn Stark and Lord Eddard Stark!"

"And I know the Queen." The taller of the two replied with sarcasm.

"Don't fight it, you'll only make it worse for yourself." The other whispered lightly into my ear.

Despite my fierce protests, they hauled me up to the flogging post, taking off my coat in the process, and cuffed my wrists to the wooden pole.

I didn't see, but I heard the spectacle all around me as people gathered in a grim fascination to watch my punishment.

The punishment I did nothing to deserve.

I could hear the taller bannerman face the crowd and speak as the other began to undo the laces on the back of my dress.

"For the damage of irreplaceable property, Lord Stark of Winterfell and Warden of the North sentences this girl to ten lashings across the back."

 _'Liars'_ , I thought to myself with tears flowing rivers down my face. _'The whole lot of them are liars.'_

I felt a breeze on my back, and I mentally braced myself.

Have you ever cut yourself with a knife?

I did once, when I was helping the Cook prepare lemon cakes for Sansa's nameday. I took the ripe yellow fruit and was beginning to cut, when I had a clumsy moment.

I had already cut several lemons that day, so the blade was covered in the acidic juice when it sliced my fingers open.

I screamed, it had hurt so bad.

However, this...was much, much, worse.

The first lashing felt like my sliced fingers times ten.

The second was agony.

The third I was screaming for help and begging the bannermen to stop.

By the fifth, I was starting to get dizzy, when I heard a voice.

Perhaps it was an angel, perhaps it wasn't, but this entity was calling out for me.

"OPHELIA!" It yelled frantically.

I heard voices exclaim from the crowd of onlookers as something was shoving it's way through them, up to this podium.

"What is your business with this girl!?" It asked furiously.

"She damaged my spices and is now paying the price."

"Was she taken to the Lord of Winterfell?"

"I have no time for silly politics, this girl needs to be punished now."

"Boy this is none of your concern." One of the soldiers snapped.

"It is. I am John Snow, and my father is Lord Edward Stark. I demand you to release her."

"Why should I believe anything that is to come out of your mouth? All you Snows are the same: lying, little bastards!"

I heard the whip hit something, but I did not feel the sting of a slash.

"Bastard, I'm warning you! Walk away!"

"Jon! What's going on?" There was a pause of silence then another frantic voice called out my name.

"OPHELIA! WHAT IN THE SEVEN HELLS IS GOING ON?!"  
"These men punished her without consent of the Warden of The North."

As I heard the back and forth banter between Theon, Jon, The Spice King, and the Soldiers, I feel a person walk beside me and put something against my lips.

I shook my head when a soft voice whispered in my ear, "It is milk of the poppy. Madam gives it to us if a customer gets too rough. I always keep some near me."  
I turned my head to see Ros, looking worried and sympathetic.

All negative thoughts I've had about her vanished in that moment of kindness.

She put the bottle to my lips again, urging me to drink it with her pleading eyes.

I did so, and soon I slipped into a peaceful darkness.

***************************  
 **Anyways please please leave me a review! They make me so happy! :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**As usual, I do not own anything except for Ophelia and House Pyralis. So I was really feeling incredibly self-conscious about my writing, when the incredible darkwolf76 helped me along with some tidbits I've been struggling!** **It was incredibly nice, and I recommend everyone go check out her story 'Defying Demons', which is pretty badass. Also thanks to Guest, cew1088, Arianna Le Fay, HPuni101, and lightwalnut64 (lol I love username, it makes me chuckle every time I see it) for reviewing! It makes me so happy to see reviews. 3**

 **Also to answer a couple questions:**

 **Yes, the steadfast of Highgarden originally belonged to the Pyralis family.**

 **Yes, they are from Valyria. In an upcoming chapter there will an extensive look into the history of House Pyralis and why exactly their sigil is a Phoenix, and how they are related to the Targaryens.**

 **Will Ophelia have dragon powers? No, she's a Pyralis not a Targaryen. Though she's just as special in my eyes.**

 **Also, there has been some concern as to Ned's role in Seraphine's death. Let me be clear, he didn't want this to happen. He was trying to save Seraphine by telling Robert to spare Ophelia, also he did not ourightly agree to having Seraphine executed. Seraphine knew that she would not be safe from Robert's wrath even if she was allowed to live, it would follow her everywhere. Nowhere would be safe. There is so much more to her house and her story that has yet to be explained, especially regarding the events with Lyanna and Rhaegar, which will explain Ned's slight apprehension to Seraphine. Which is a pretty big part, as she did have a role to play with R+L. Another thing, I got a p.m. regarding how a Pyralis could lay claim to the Iron throne. Let me put it as simply as possible: Lannister is to Baratheon as Pyralis is to Targaryen. They, by extent, are royalty. How was Cersei able to lay claim to the Iron Throne in season six? There were no Baratheons or Tyrells left, and had there been, they would have gotten the throne. So the next in line by right would be a Lannister. Same goes for Seraphine, she is related to the Targaryens, and not distantly either. She would have a good claim to the throne if she really wanted it, especially since her house has been basically annihilated, but by this point in time she's kind of like, "Fuck that! I'm out." So, I hope that clears up a couple things.**

 **Now, onto the story! P.S., this one might be a little sad.**

3rd P.O.V. Winterfell

 _It had been two weeks since Seraphine had arrived at Winterfell. During this time she had been confined to her room, only leaving to go see Maester Luwin for an appointment, so she could see how healthy her baby was, and the occasional guarded walk around the courtyard. She had her meals delivered to her and often read to pass the time._

 _Truth be told, she was lonely. There was no one to talk to. The guards glared at her, the members of the house took no notice of her, and the servants that bathed her and helped with her meals ignored her, from fear of disobeying Ned Stark._

 _But the Lord of Winterfell hadn't forbade the servants, the guards, and the members of the house to not speak to Seraphine. After hearing who Ned_ _ **did**_ _prohibit from speaking to the Phoenix though, everyone else took it as a sign to back off._

 _Ned had forbid Catelyn from talking to Seraphine, so she wasn't allowed to see her old friend. Cat fought tooth and nail about this restriction, but when he told her she would be suspect of treason, should Seraphine ever escape, Catelyn reluctantly agreed to abide by his rules. This added another stone to the heaping mountain of a mess that was their marriage. The Tully girl and her husband were on the fritz, Cat often yelling at Ned whilst he took this in a stony silent disregard._

 _Cat wanted his bastard out of their home, but Ned wouldn't allow it. She pleaded with him, yelled at him, and even tried to guilt him into getting rid of Jon. Nothing worked. They took to sleeping in separate rooms and when Little Robb had arrived with his Septa, Catelyn took him into her quarters, scarcely allowing Ned to see his own son._

" _You already have a son, she would yell, go tend to him!"_

 _However, these tiny squabbles only went on for a bit. Most days they just avoided each other, making sure not to see the other. This was something that Cat specifically requested. "I need some space." She told her husband, who agreed that being apart for a bit could help things settle down. Yet, the day Seraphine finally got a visitor was the day that all rings of the Seven Hells broke loose in the marriage of the Fish and the Direwolf._

 _Catelyn was familiarizing herself with the books of Winterfell (she was still the Lady of Winterfell after all), when she was took a moment from her duties to hold her son. She hadn't held him since the night before, as she rose early to do her duties, and the maternal instinct in her yearned for her child. So she went to her room, where he should've been taking his nap, only to find that he wasn't there._

 _After frantically running around all of Winterfell, along with half the guard, she finally found him._

 _While she was searching for him, Cat thought of the most horrible things that could be happening to her baby. He could've been kidnapped by a disgruntled servant. He could've been killed by an unnamed assailant with his body parts hanging all over the Godswood. He could've been taken for ransom._

 _It was none of these things._

 _When she found Little Robb, to her surprise, she heard happy gurgling and a baby's laugh. Catelyn Tully opened the door to Ned Stark's solar and found him on the rug, playing with his two sons. What was even more shocking was the babies, even in their early youth, were fascinated by one another. Both were touching each other, whining when the other accidently rolled away or fell back from the cushions that held them upright, closely facing each other._

 _Ned turned and saw Cat fuming at the door, and after a moment's hesitation, she closed the door before he could let out a word._

 _She slumped against the wall out in the corridor, hot tears making paths down from her blue eyes to her chin, dripping at a rapid pace._

 _In all honesty, Cat would've preferred it if she had found her baby kidnapped._

 _Because this hurt so much more._

 _Her husband disrespected her by sleeping with another woman._

 _Her husband disrespected her by bringing that woman's baby home with him, before her own son even arrived._

 _Then, he disrespected her a third time by associating that filth with her child, clearly not caring about her wish for space from him._

 _Well, if he was so wanton about what she desired then why should she care about his rules?_

 _Angrily wiping her tears away, she held her head up high and went to go see her longtime friend, Seraphine Pyralis._

 _Eddard Stark be damned._

 _She marched up to the tower that held Seraphine in her bedroom, smoothed herself out, and rapidly knocked on the door three times._

 _Seraphine was jolted from her book by the quick knocks on her door. Her crimson eyes glanced out her barred windows and analyzed the sun's position._

 _It wasn't time for her midday meals._

 _Slowly she got up, stretched out her arms above her, and waddled to the door. Seraphine opened it to reveal Catelyn Tully._

 _A red-eyed, puffy cheeked Catelyn Tully._

 _Seraphine assessed her friend and in a low voice said, "I'm not allowed to have visitors."_

 _Cat pushed herself in the room anyway, ignoring what Seraphine just said._

 _She looked around, then turned back to the pregnant phoenix._

" _Would you like to go for a walk?" She asked_

 _Seraphine rose her arched eyebrow and, albeit confusedly, nodded in agreement._

 _Both of the young women laid on the soft green grass of the Godswood, near the Weirwood Tree. Their hair splayed above them in a mix, decorated in freshly-picked flowers, making a beautiful blending of Ruby and Mahogany. Both were barefoot and both giggled at the thought of old memories._

" _Do you remember the time Petyr stole Lysa's doll and planted it among Edmure's things?" Seraphine asked, twiddling a small daisy between her fingertips looking at the streams of light breaking through the patches of red leaves above her._

 _Cat chuckled, a grin etching across her face as she closed her eyes remembering Edmure's small face of shock when he discovered Lysa's doll in his room._

" _I still can't believe that Lysa actually believed that Edmure took her doll."_

" _Or that Petyr went through with the dare." Seraphine added, flutters of giggles escaping her._

" _Or that Edmure admitted not using that particular doll of Lysa's to play with. That he favored her golden haired doll instead."_

" _No wonder Lysa could never find that one!"_

 _Catelyn and Seraphine were shaking with laughter now._

 _Wiping her hands down her face, Catelyn spoke in a breathless manner. "Gods…How I wish we could just go back to the way things were."_

 _Their laughter died down as the frivolities from their childhood fled from them and the weight of the present once again sat on their shoulders. The mood turned somber as Cat sat up, some of the white flowers falling from her hair._

" _Sera?" asked the Tully girl._

" _Yes, Cat?"_

" _What's going to happen to you?"_

 _Seraphine froze, realizing the implication of Catelyn's question._

 _Cat was unaware that Sera's life was going to end in the near future._

 _Trying to find the right words, Seraphine slowly asked her, "What do you mean?"_

 _A smile played at the corner of Cat's lips as she leaned on her left arm, her head cocked to the side. "What I mean, is that you're not going to stay in Winterfell forever, right?"_

 _Seraphine shifted her eyes to her friend and then looked back up at the leaves, putting on her best blank face._

" _No."_

 _Cat looked at her and then said, "Well, the Tyrells were given Highgarden by Robert, so you can't go back there."_

 _Dismissing this new piece of information about Highgarden, Seraphine responded. "No, I don't suppose I will ever go back to Highgarden."_

" _Will you go back to Riverrun? I'm sure my father wouldn't mind having you back there. He always did prefer you over Lysa." She added with a chuckle, laying back down again._

" _No, I won't be going back to Riverrun. I won't stay here either."_

" _Then where are you going to go?"_

 _Seraphine took a deep breath and forced whatever tears, that threatened to spill out, back down._

 _She would not cry._

" _I'm going to die." There, she had said it as bluntly and quickly as possible. Hopefully the news would register in painless manner._

 _Cat shot up and looked at her friend. "What? That's a horrible joke, Sera."_

' _Okay, maybe not as painless.' Seraphine thought._

" _It's not a joke", She stated calmly_

" _What? No! Tell me you're lying, that this is some sort of sick joke."_

 _The look on Seraphine's face confirmed the truth._

" _Oh Gods…OH GODS! What about your baby?"_

" _If it's a girl, she'll stay up here, with you lot."_

" _But what if they're a boy?"_

 _A moment's pause Seraphine said, "Just pray for a girl."_

 _Catelyn look at her sharply. "Did Ned agree to this?"_

 _Seraphine shook her head. "No, it wasn't his decision. It was mine. Robert would've killed me like he had everyone else. So we made a deal. I gave him Lyanna's whereabouts and as well of that of Viserys and Daenerys. In return, I can live for a while after my baby is born."_

" _This isn't right! You have to leave."_

 _Seraphine looked at her teary-eyed friend._

" _And go where? He'll always be hunting me down, not even Ned would be able to stop him."_

" _Why though? Why you? Why not someone else?"_

" _You know why. You know what I can do. Robert is afraid that I can use that as a way to avenge my family. But I won't."_

 _There was a moment of silence._

" _Who will do it?"_

" _I don't know. I don't even mind."_

" _Sera are you mad?! How do you not mind?"_

" _Because I don't fear death. It's over then, but living is so much harder. When I die I just hope, wherever I go, Rowtag will be there. I hope I can see Lyanna, and Rhaegar, and your mother. I miss them. All of them."_

 _Seraphine wiggled a bit, then sat up and looked at her tearful friend._

" _Can you do something for me, Cat?"_

 _Catelyn couldn't talk as she was shaking with grief, but she did nod her head._

" _If my baby is a girl, I can live with her for eight months. After that she'll be on her own, all alone in this cold, dark world." Seraphine inched closer to her friend and pushed strands of red hair away from her face. She held her palm to the fire-headed girl's cheek, and pressed her forehead against her crying friend's forehead._

" _Watch over my baby for me. There's no one else in the world that I would trust more to watch over my child than you. Help her fly above everything that will be out to get her. Please, will you do this for me, Cat?"_

 _At this point, Catelyn Tully laid her face on her friend's shoulder and began to sob. She shook and her tears wet Seraphine's orange dress, but she didn't care._

 _Out of the two, Seraphine was always the stronger one._

 _Now, she was asking Catelyn to be the same after she passes._

 _Was there ever a life without Seraphine Pyralis though?_

" _No, Cat thought, no there isn't."_

 _Because Sera has always been in Cat's life, longer than Lysa has._

 _But soon she would be like a dandelion in a breeze: present one minute, gone the next._

" _Promise me, Cat. Promise me you'll watch over her. Promise me."_

 _Catelyn Tully's voice was hoarse as she tightly gripped her friend's arm, and looked her in the eyes._

" _I promise."_

 **So….that was heavy. Anyways, read, review, and rest easy! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks so much to all who reviewed! As always, I do not own anything. :)**

 **Anyways, let's ge** t **on with the story.**

1st P.O.V. Winterfell

 _I remember being eight, when I had my first brush with death._

 _It was horrific and is the reason why Lord Robb never speaks to me. Or what I believe to be the reason._

 _Lord Stark had to visit White Harbor to discuss the current flow of trade between the Southern cities with Lord Manderly. It was to be a long journey, about a fortnight's trip to White Harbor, three days there, and then another fortnight back to Winterfell. Lord Stark wanted to take Jon and Robb with him._

 _I remember him coming to the courtyard where the three of us were playing Knights and Princesses, a game where a valiant knight rescues the princess from an evil foe. We would play this often, though Jon and Robb did make a fuss of who got to be the knight every time we played. Anyway, just as I was about to be rescued from a large dragon, Lord Stark interrupted us. He told the two boys that they would need to pack for a trip because he was taking them to White Harbor to see what sort of duties a Lord does when visiting other Lords, as well as duties pertaining to outside affairs._

 _The boys were excited, not about seeing their father at work or seeing how he interacts with Lord Manderly, but how they got to leave Winterfell to go to White Harbor._

 _I recall being jealous for the first time in my life. I was never really jealous of Robb, who was to become a Great Lord one day, or Jon, a bastard with nothing to inherit, but I was jealous of them in that moment. The green monster wrapped its tentacles around me, and all I saw was envy. Why wasn't I able to go? What made_ _them_ _so special? I was smarter than the two, I never go into much trouble like they did, and I was obviously a lot taller than Robb. By half of an inch! Why wasn't I invited?_

 _In that moment I was determined to go on this trip._

 _While Lord Stark was talking to the boys about how long they'd be there for, I ran out of there as fast as I could. I ran all the way up to My Lady's solar, and busted in without knocking._

 _My Lady jumped up from her desk, startled at the sudden intrusion. She placed her hand over her heart from the shock and looked at me with wide blue eyes._

 _"What in the-" She began._

 _I launched myself at her skirts and clutched them desperately hard, and mustered up my saddest face. I had to make her understand how much this meant to me._

 _"Can I please go to White Harbor with Lord Stark?!" I made sure to look her in the eyes as I asked My Lady for this request._

 _My Lady leaned back at this question, surprise clearly evident on her face._

 _"Why do you want to go to White Harbor? It wouldn't be safe for a young girl to be travelling by horseback for such a long distance."_

 _I clutched her dark blue skirts even tighter, and stared at her with wide dark crimson eyes._

 _"Oh please?! I really want to go. I've never been anywhere but Wintertown before. I really want to go. I swear I won't misbehave!"_

 _My Lady shook her head and knelt down to my eye level, gently grabbing my hands in hers._

 _"It's just not safe. If anything happened to you, it would break my heart. Do you want my heart to be broken?"_

 _Out of all the strategic moves she could've pulled on me, it had to be that one. I hated feeling guilty, despised it even._

 _However, there was one thing I hated worse than being guilted into doing something and that was being left alone at Winterfell, while the boys got to go to the exciting city of White Harbor._

 _Yet, I still looked down at the floor guiltily and answered, "No."_

 _She hugged me, her soft pink lips twisting up into a small smile. "Good. Now, I don't want to hear any more of this business about going to White Harbor. Besides, you don't want to disturb Lord Stark's father-son trip with Robb."_

 _She stood up and went to go sit at her desk._

 _I realized what she said, and decided (even if it was a bit wrong of me) to use this to my advantage._

 _"Father-son trip? Just Lord Stark and Robb?"_

 _My Lady turned her head around, she nodded, her smile still on her face. "Well with a couple of the House Guard, but yes. Robb will be Lord of Winterfell one day, so he has to learn about all sorts of duties a Lord does. That's why the two of them are going to White Harbor, to teach Robb a bit."_

 _As My Lady went to go sit down again, I piped up, "Jon is going as well!"_

 _I've never seen anybody turn as sharply as she did, all traces of smile gone from her face._

 _"He's what?"_

 _I gave her my most innocent look and said, "Lord Stark is taking Jon with him."_

 _Her eyes narrowed._

 _That night, the night before our entourage left, Old Nan was packing the few dresses that I had into a small trunk for me, as I was moving about everywhere, not able to stay still. My Lady made me promise that I was to be on my best behavior and not to go any place in the city without Lord Stark's permission._

 _I was so giddy that I was bouncing about the room in my brown robe and white nightgown._

 _I jumped up and down on the bed and asked Old Nan, "Can I pack Nova?"_

 _Nova was a ragdoll filled with straw that I made during one of my first attempts at sewing. Though she had eerie buttons for eyes, an enormous head, and uneven stumpy limbs, I couldn't bear to get rid of her. She played the part of what I wanted her to be and she was there for me in my darkest hours. My Lady at one point, asked if I wanted a better doll, one made of fine porcelain with a velvet dress, because she thought the doll I possessed was incredibly odd. I politely declined her offer, even if my doll did make some people (well pretty much anyone who saw it, with the exception of Lord Stark) uncomfortable. I adored that creepy little doll as if she were actually a real person._

 _Old Nan gave me a slightly toothless grin and said, "Why of course! She would be lonely without you." I squealed in delight and leapt off the bed to get Nova, who was sitting by the fireplace reading a book._

 _An intruding voice rang out. "Who would be lonely without you?" I twisted around to see both Robb and Jon, still in their day clothes, looking curiously at me. I grabbed Nova, and ran to Old Nan who packed her in my trunk._

 _I went back to the bed to jump out my excitement._

" _Nova will be lonely without me if I don't bring her with us!"_

 _Robb snorted, "You're bringing that raggedy doll to White Harbor? She'd scare all the fish away." Both he and Jon started to laugh, with one doubling over clutching his stomach due to his loud guffaws._

 _I immediately stopped jumping and furrowed my eyebrows at them. I dove off the bed, my braid whipping behind me and I shoved Robb back and slapped Jon on the back of his head._

" _Oi! What'd you do that for?!"_

" _That wasn't nice, 'Felia!" Robb's and Jon's voices rang out, but I put my hands on my hips and did my best to impersonate My Lady's 'stern' look._

" _I don't want you to say anything bad about Nova! You aren't going to make fun of us on this trip! You leave her alone, she's my family!"_

 _The playful frustration that lingered on Jon's face vanished as he looked at me shame-faced. His grey eyes looked apologetic as he said, "Sorry 'Felia. I didn't know how important she was to you."_

 _Robb merely rolled his Tully blue eyes and hit Jon in the shoulder. "Snow, it's just a_ _ **doll**_ _. Besides, she shouldn't even be coming along." I scrunched my eyebrows together, confused if he was talking about me or Nova. Either way, it wasn't very nice of him to be critical._

" _Well neither should I!" Robb and I looked at Jon who, at the age of eight and a half, already knew of the struggle that was a bastard's life._

 _He looked down (something he often did as a child to hide the fact that he was crying) with his curly black hair hiding his face and said, "You heard your mother. All of us did. She was raising her voice about how I shouldn't be going to White Harbor. We could hear her and Lord Stark through the door of the solar, all the way into the corridor, she almost didn't let me go." He wiped his nose as he sniffed._

 _I suddenly felt like crying as well. Back in those day, it made me sad to see Jon so distraught._

 _Robb's eyes widened as he saw the two of us ready to burst into sobs._

 _WHACK!_

 _I clutched the back of my head, as did Jon, and we both stared at Robb who had a determined look on his face._

" _I don't want to hear any more of this!" Robb made his way inside the room, and rushed past Old Nan who was packing some of my socks, and climbed on top of the bed._

" _Now listen up, you lot!" Jon and I looked confusedly at each other but walked over to the edge of the bed where Robb was standing, both feet apart and arms crossed. Like a leader commanding a fleet before attack, he started to speak._

" _Can't you see how lucky we are?! We're going on our very first adventure, the three of us! We're going to White Harbor, the Kings Landing of the North, the place where mermaids' roam, the place with traders from Essos, the place that has a quest waiting for us! Father agreed to let the two of you come along, and I'm glad he did." He vaulted down to us, his auburn curls bouncing whilst doing so, and put a hand on my left shoulder and Jon's right._

" _Stop being sad. You heard Father. His word is final." My sadness left and I glanced at Jon who had the same look of happiness slowly flooding his face._

 _Jon smiled and said, "You're right, Stark."_

 _Robb clapped his hand on Jon's shoulder and boldly stated, "Of course I am!"_

 _We three children smiled at each other, enthusiastic to enjoy the journey ahead of us._

 _The next day I was riding on a horse with Lord Stark, heading towards White Harbor. I was to ride with him and not on my own in the case of there being a Wildling attack. Who better to protect me than Lord Stark?_

 _Or at least that's what My Lady told me._

 _My Lady let me go on the trip as a form of spite, though I don't really see how._

 _I got to go and as did Jon (though part of the deal of me going was that he would leave Lord Stark and Robb alone when it came to important lordly manners), so in my eyes I won an incredible victory._

 _I kind of felt smug all the way to White Harbor._

 _Lord Stark made sure the three of us were to be on our best behavior. He told us that out of the five major cities in Westeros White Harbor is the smallest, yet it is still bigger than Wintertown. He told us we would be guests at Lord Manderly's home, New Castle. When we got to the Northern city, I was amazed by the size of it._

 _White Harbor was five times the size of Wintertown and twice as exciting. The walls to the city were huge, thick, and white. The guards let us in after seeing the Direwolf sigil on the banners held by some of the many guards that accompanied us (something that My Lady vehemently insisted upon). The Watch that was on lookout for the city let us in, and as we entered I was amazed by the spectacle of everything within the city's premises. The roads, unlike that of Wintertown, were made up of cobblestone. The houses were made of white or grey smooth stone, with wooden roofs, barely a thatched or clay house top in sight. There was a great port in the distance with ships from the North, South and across the Narrow Sea. There were light sea green banners everywhere that had a single white merman in the middle, poised to strike with a trident in hand._

 _Banners of House Manderly._

 _The steeple of the local Sept was tall and formidable. A sign that, unlike most Northern houses, House Manderly keeps the Faith of the Seven. And just as formidable was Lord Wyman Manderly himself, riding upon a white stallion, accompanied by his house guard and by his son, a man who must've been in his mid- twenties._

 _The two parties met in the square of White Harbor, a brilliant clash of grey and green. Lord Stark held me in place on his saddle as he got down to treat with Lord Manderly._

 _For a moment, I was scared that this was all a horrible idea. Who would want a lowborn girl amongst their midst? I'd only be a nuisance. But Lord Stark, for the briefest moment, gave me a reassuring smile, and turned to his friend._

 _They went and shook hands. Lord Stark then leaned in and spoke in a soft voice, that none could understand. And Lord Manderly, for a second, glanced my way and nodded._

 _When he came bounding over, one of the younger guards helped me off of my saddle while the boys were already on the ground. I could tell they were nervous like me, but did a better job at hiding it. I stood on the right side of Jon, who stood in between Robb and me. Lord Manderly looked at Robb and said in a booming voice, "So this is the small Stark I've been hearing so much about."_

 _The white bearded man held out his hand and after a brief moment's of hesitation, Robb shook it. His voice was slightly shaky, yet he still held a steely gaze that masked his nervousness. "Pleased to meet you, Lord Manderly."_

 _Lord Manderly chuckled and said, "You have quite a grip. A sure sign you'll be Alpha one day, Young Wolf."_

 _He moved onto Jon, who was as white as his namesake. But like his half-brother, he maintained a gaze that showed the might of who he is, as person and as somebody that has the blood of a Stark._

" _You must be Jon. Lord Stark tells me that you already have the skills of a great warrior." Jon's body slightly slumped as he breathed out in relief, his face dropping its impassive look, and said, "I practice a lot, My Lord. I hope to serve at Castle Black one day."_

 _Lord Manderly shook his hand and nodded, "You'll be a fine Man of the Night's Watch, just as your Uncle Benjen is."_

 _Then he moved to me._

 _Unlike the boys, I didn't do well under the pressure of meeting new people, especially people of importance. Usually, I laughed because of my nerves or I remained frozen like a statue. However, I knew that either one was not an option at the time, lest I embarrass Lord Stark and his House's name._

 _I focused on my shoes, finding them interesting all of a sudden and clutched Nova (whom I ended up unpacking) tightly._

 _I felt a close presence and heard a masculine voice say, "Girl, look at me." I looked up at Lord Manderly, all traces of smile gone from his face as he studied me._

" _So the rumors are true." He murmured. A flash of sympathy went through his light green eyes as he looked me over._

 _Lord Manderly then knelt down in front of me and gave me a small smile. "What is your name?"_

 _I held Nova closely to my face and peeked at the white-bearded man over the large head of my doll._

" _I'm Ophelia."_

 _Lord Manderly gently took my left hand and kissed it. "Welcome to White Harbor."_

 _I lowered my doll a bit and blushed._

 _Lord Manderly gestured to Nova. "Who is this?"_

 _I heard both boys groan as they knew about my fondness for my doll._

" _This is Nova! She's my doll and friend, and she's my family!"_

 _Lord Manderly gave me a sad sort of smile and kissed my doll's hand. "Welcome to White Harbor, Lady Nova." I giggled as Lord Manderly stood up._

" _Lady Nova, would you care to meet my son?"_

 _I made my doll nod its head. "She's saying yes!"_

" _May I?" He grinned as he offered his hand to me._

 _I shook my head in agreement._

 _Lord Manderly took my left hand and we walked over to where Lord Stark and another man stood._

" _This is my son, Wylis. He's a great deal older than you, but he's not a codder like one would expect." He said chuckling lightly._

 _Wylis was tall, like his father, and had green eyes with dark blonde hair. He was extremely muscular and had the same imposing stature as his father._

 _Wylis Manderly gave me a grin, and bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet both of you fine Ladies. I hope you find White Harbor to your utmost liking."_

 _I heard footsteps behind me to and looked to see the rest of the House Guard, Jon, and Robb steadily approaching us._

 _Both the Stark and the Snow took their place beside me as I looked ahead at the city that would hold our adventure._

 _Lord Manderly, still holding my hand, gave us a limited tour of his city. He showed us the houses made of fine stone, some that had been built when the Manderly's first arrived from the Reach many years ago. He took us to the commerce district of town, where there were many shops of different varieties. There were shops for shoes, for toys, for fine clothing, for candles, for postage, it kept going on! We went past the marketplace, where there was many stalls with merchants offering to sell things from Myrrah Silk to oils that can cure any ailment._

 _While walking throughout the marketplace, we three children were given one silver piece by Lord Stark. Robb and I spent it on a piece of rare crystalized pomegranate, which was delicious, while Jon merely saved his piece for later._

 _We concluded the tour by arriving at the hill where New Castle stood, though we didn't finish seeing the entire city. Lord Manderly believed it was getting too late and said that we would be able to see the rest the following day when we would visit the docks with Lord Stark._

 _To say New Castle was fancy would be an understatement- it was lavish. The guard, just as their counterparts that accompanied us during our tour of the city, were dressed in blue-green wool cloaks and carried tridents rather than spears._

 _Inside the white ramparts of this beautiful edifice were artifacts that decorated the walls from a time long ago. Wylis bent down to my ear and whispered, "Besides the banners, anything you see hung up are collected treasures of evidence from victories that House Manderly has won in the past."_

 _My eyes widened as I clutched Nova tightly against me, amazed at the sheer number of artifacts that lined the corridor alone._

 _The Merman's Court was in the center of the castle, which was decorated the same as the rest of the castle with the exception of the walls having a light green tinge to them._

 _Soon, some maids took me and Jon to the room that we would be staying in, while Robb had to stay back and watch his father converse with Lord Manderly, and several other Minor Lords that gathered from the area to greet the Warden of the North._

 _Our room was connected to another room by a door. The suite that connected to ours was where Lord Stark would be sleeping. Our room, which had three beds, had a dark wooden ceiling with white walls. Opposite of our beds was a fireplace that was already lit making the room warm and cozy. There was a small table with three chairs by the wardrobe, furs on the floors, and a seat on the window that had dark blue tapestries hanging off of them, made of the softest material I have ever felt. Our trunks had already been placed at the foot of each of our beds, with a modesty screen next to my bed, and to our delight, there was a bowl of exotic fruit on the table, waiting for it to be eaten._

 _Jon turned around, his black curls framing his face as his grey eyes lit up with enjoyment._

" _Can we eat the fruit on the table?" He asked one of the maids, who nodded in reply._

 _I untied my blue cloak and put it on my bed along with Nova, and ran to over to Jon who was looking at the bowl with wonderment._

" _What should we try first?" I piped up, making Jon look at me._

" _Let's try that yellow one." I nodded. We both got a piece of the sliced yellow fruit simultaneously and bit down._

 _It was acidic and sweet, with a rough edge that I ended up spitting out, but it made my tongue feel funny. I only ate the one piece, whereas Jon ate another two._

 _Next was a circle fruit that was furry. Jon took out his knife that he always carried, and cut it in half to reveal a green center. Clueless on how to eat it, we both cautiously bit into it. This one was a bit more tart than sweet, but had a unique flavor. Jon spat his out, and gave me his half eaten piece that I gladly ate._

 _Following the furry fruit was a fruit that was yellow and green on the outside, but had a vibrant yellow color on the inside. It was already cut, shaped into a flower, and was staked on a stick. Jon and I got our own sticks and ate bit down. By the look on his face, (and probably on mine) this was the best one out of all the other fruits we've eaten. It was sweet and sticky, but was desirably delicious._

 _We sat there, for Gods know how long, and ate our sticky fruit._

 _Robb and Lord Stark entered to see the both of us chowing down on our third fruit stick, our hands and faces sticky._

 _Lord Stark was amused at how two small children could polish off a good portion of a large bowl of fruit._

 _I ran up to Lord Stark._

" _My Lord, can we get some of this sticky fruit and take it back with us?"_

 _He chuckled, and walked past me to the small table._

" _Maybe a piece or two, but not a bowl full of them. These fruits come all the way from the Summer Isles and are quite an expense."_

 _My eyes widened at the thought of how lucky I was to be able to have a taste of the exotic produce that grew in a faraway land._

 _Lord Stark turned to us and said, "Now, the three of you wash up and get ready. The Manderly's are throwing a feast and we mustn't be late." With that being said, he plucked one of the furry fruits from the bowl and went to his room to get ready._

 _After hearing the door shut, Robb turned to the both us, his blue eyes lit up in excitement._

" _Can I try some of the sticky fruit?"_

 _After getting ready with the help of some maids behind the modesty screen (and after washing off our faces and hands) we left our room to follow Lord Stark to the banquet hall. Robb followed his father and I was escorted by Robb. Jon trailed behind us._

 _I was wearing the only formal gown I owned, a bright yellow one that was made from silk and had blue sleeves and blue embroidery. My hair was pulled back into an elaborate bun, adorned with small white flowers. Robb and Jon dressed in their finest Northern garbs, even going as far as to wear their nice cloaks with copper chains and having their hair slicked back._

 _I held onto Robb's arm, as we entered into a crowded banquet hall filled with mostly men, though there were some women, and we passed through the middle of the loud hall, everyone's eyes were on us._

 _Robb whispered in my ear, "Don't be nervous, 'Felia."_

 _I wasn't nervous though. In fact, my mind was very far from being preoccupied with thoughts of nervousness as it was rather preoccupied with thoughts of hunger._

 _This was my first grand banquet and, as it was the Manderly's way, no expense was spared._

 _There were tables that lined the sides of the room and a center table, which had an enormous turkey in the middle of it. There were globules made of different kinds of meat such as boar, venison, pork, chicken and cattle. There were more exotic fruits, and an assortment of vegetables. There were cakes and candies, hams, fully glazed chickens stuffed with a savory bread pudding, a variety of mushrooms swimming in butter with mounds of black bacon rashers on the sides cooked crisp to perfection. There was towers of stacked fried dough sprinkled with sugar and adorned with honey, wines from the Arbor and Dorne. There were pigs with apples in their mouths, frothy drinks, and pots of soup that came an array of colors from red to green to white. There was many kinds of jerky, nuts, and if you can believe it, pies filled with persimmon, pumpkin, potatoes, and sugared mint! On one of the side tables it was only occupied with foods from the sea. There was kelp, shrimp, lobsters, oysters, crab, tuna, snappers, (even shark!) all decorated with spices from the East and South._

 _My mouth was watering and my stomach was growling._

 _I paid no mind to being introduced or even Robb taking me to my seat._

 _I was hypnotized._

 _Never in my life had I seen a banquet of this grandeur._

 _As I sat down, a maid came up to me and served my plate, filling it with mostly vegetables._

 _I stopped her from proceeding to fill it up some more._

" _No, I said, I want to try something else!"_

 _The woman looked confused at my request._

" _What would you like to try?"_

 _I threw my hands up in the air. "All of it!"_

 _A couple seats down, Lord Manderly heard me and choked on his wine in an attempt not to chuckle at my request._

 _After a few coughs, a pat on the back from Lord Stark, the Lord of White Harbor looked at the maid and me and said, "You heard her, Woman! Give the girl what she wants, which is apparently the whole buffet."_

 _A round of laughter erupted from our table, and my cheeks felt hot. I looked down in embarrassment (though it's to my firmest belief that Lord Manderly did not intend to embarrass me) and stayed quiet._

" _I'd like to try everything as well!"_

 _My head snapped up to see Robb standing up and looking at the maid with all seriousness. He grinned as he said. "Let me start with cakes, then I'll work my way backwards." He looked at me, smiling in reassurance then added, "Same goes for her." He pointed his thumb at me._

 _My smile returned and I mouthed a quiet, "Thanks!" to him._

 _This caused even more laughter of amusement, but Robb was not embarrassed. He merely puffed out his chest in pride and said, "I can eat anything you put in front of me."_

" _Oh I'd like to see that, Young Wolf." replied Lord Manderly completely entertained by our antics._

 _So the two of us, both Robb and I, ate our way through the buffet. At first, we would clear everything off of our plates, but as we got half way through the seafood portion of our meal, we both only took a couple bites then would move on to the next dish. During this, Lord Stark mildly chastised us to not be wasteful with our food, but Robb stubbornly replied, "I have to prove my point."_

 _My favorite point during all of this was Robb's obvious aversion to crab, only willing to take a few bites, his face scrunching up in disgust but still swallowed it._

 _My favorite dish was a small baked quail, slathered in mint rose sauce, stuffed with peppers from Dorne. It was a perfect combination of sweet and spicy. I ate just the one and sadly had to move on so I could taste everything else._

 _It finally ended, halfway into the night. The party was in full swing, and while Jon was still eating his first plate of food, Robb and I were pretty much done, even if we didn't taste everything. Our bellies were swollen and puffy, and we were both about to fall asleep after eating so much._

 _I lasted longer than Robb, with him making it to the end of the seafood table, and with me managing to make it to the turkey that sat in the middle of our table._

 _I nibbled at a turkey leg not really eating it though, just stuffing the meat in my cheeks, unable to swallow it. Robb was merely sipping his soup when he passed out into his bowl, broth splashing everywhere._

 _Soo, I fell out of my chair with the turkey leg still in hand._

" _Aye, they proved us wrong!" I heard a booming voice, followed by a round of laughter. Then I fell asleep._

 _I woke up the next morning in our guest room, with Robb snuggled in his bed and Jon sprawled out in his._

 _I noticed I was in my nightgown and Nova was right next to me on my pillow._

 _I heard the door open and the maid who brought us to our room yesterday, opened our door carrying a pitcher, basin, and some small hand towels._

" _Morning miss! Did you sleep well?" I nodded. I looked around to see that a new day had begun, which meant that we would be visiting the harbor and the rest of the city. I would've started to jump with excitement if not for one pressing question I had on my mind._

" _How did I get changed?" I asked her._

 _The maid smiled and said, "After you passed out last night, Lord Stark had me and another servant carry you and the Little Lord to this room. We dressed you for sleep and put you to bed."_

" _Oh, thank you!"_

 _She grinned and nodded. "It's no trouble miss."_

 _She put the pitcher on the table after pouring the hot water in the basin. She soaked up a hand towel and said, "I'm sorry miss, but there'll be no time for a bath this morning. You're due to visit the docks in about an hour. Still, there's no need for you to be unclean."_

 _The maid got me up and took me behind the modesty screen and wiped me down, after stripping me from my nightgown. She then got me ready, in a light purple dress made of wool. She took down my hair, which was still in the bun from last night, and braided it into two separate braids. As she was helping me get ready, the other maids came into the room and woke up the boys to get them prepared for the day as well. Since I was done first, I left the room to go to breakfast, taking Nova with me._

 _To be honest, I wasn't that hungry but when I entered the hall from last night, only the Manderly's and Lord Stark were eating breakfast._

 _Wylis saw me first and said, "There she is, the hungry beast from the forest!" My cheeks burned but I still gave them all a toothy grin and ran over to Lord Stark, who made room for me on the bench he was sitting on._

 _I grabbed only a couple rashers of black bacon and nibbled on them._

" _Where are the other two lads?" questioned Lord Manderly, cutting into his large ration of buttered bread and blood sausage._

 _I looked at him and said, "They're still getting ready, My Lord. I woke up first so the maid said I get to come to breakfast first."_

" _Aye, she was right. But we are leaving soon. Hopefully they can hurry up."_

 _About fifteen minutes after he said that, Lord Manderly commanded some of his House Guard to ready the horses, which we would be leaving in five minutes. Just as he stood, both Robb and Jon came running in the hall, in time to see everyone else standing ready to leave._

" _Well, it's about time you've come here. We're to leave right now, so there will be no time to break your fast." Lord Stark said and he glanced at Robb adding, "Though I doubt you need to."_

 _Before the servants cleared everything away, I quickly took some more bacon off the table as well as a couple boiled eggs and bounded towards Jon and Robb. The three of us walked behind the group, so no one saw when I handed the bacon and eggs to the boys._

" _Thanks 'Felia." Both boys replied in unison, stuffing their faces with their morsels of food._

 _We went outside to the stables, which was an actual building, not outdoor stall like we have in Winterfell, and saddled up. I was put with Lord Stark once more, and we went off to the harbor._

 _The day was beautiful, with the sun actually out and only a light breeze wisping in the air. A sure sign of good things to come. When we arrived, Lord Stark got off the horse and then he got me down as well. The horses were left in the care of some of the House Guard from both Stark and Manderly. Before we ventured going between the ships, Lord Stark took us three children aside as well as a young Jory Cassel and said, "Robb, you are to come with me. Jory, I need you to keep an eye on Jon and Ophelia. They may walk around, but make sure they do not stir up any mischief."_

" _Yes, Lord Stark." Nodded the young man, who went to stand behind us. I smiled at the Lord, who smiled back (well it was a small smile) and he took his son, and went off with the other two Lords._

 _Being with Jory was fun, and it seemed that he was familiar with the city. He took us between each ship, and would point out who was from where. We made a game of it, and had to guess where the ship came from, where they were heading, and what they were carrying._

 _Usually, both Jon and I were wrong but it was fun. When we got to a fishing boat, the three of us observed a man gutting a fish. After a while, the man noticed he was being watched and looked up at us, and beckoned our trio over. There, we got a free lesson on how to properly move intestines from the inside of a fish. It was fascinating, even if it was slightly gross._

 _As the man gutted his fifth fish, he asked us, 'Do you know what mermaids eat?"_

" _Ummm, crabs?" I guessed, sitting down on a barrel in front of the man._

" _Fish! Big fish that swallow other fish." Answered Jon, sitting on the wet wooden ground beside me._

 _Without looking up, the man replied to our answers._

" _Humans. Mermaids eats humans."_

 _Suddenly fearful, I clutched Nova tightly against my chest._

" _I thought mermaids were nice?" asked Jon, scratching his curly-haired head in confusion._

 _The man grabbed another fish, after tossing the previous hollowed out one in a crate, and started to gut it. "Aye, they are nice…to their dinner. If all the fish are clear from a spot that means mermaids are near. Not even sharks go near them for fear of death. They lure their victims in with sweet songs and drag them to a watery grave." The man looked out into the horizon, where the sea laid. "Don't ever go swimming in the ocean, for if you do, a mermaid might just snatch you up."_

 _I shivered with fear, as Jon and Jory exchanged a look and the looked at this man skeptically._

" _Well thank you for this lesson in fish gutting, but we must be going." Jory said, pulling us to our feet._

 _The man nodded and returned to his fish, and we left that portion of the dock, only to run into Lord Stark's party._

 _Robb looked a bit bored, so when he saw us, his face lit up._

 _He came over to us and we told him about our made-up guessing game with Jory and how we learned to gut a fish._

" _Did you know that mermaids eat humans?!"Exclaimed Jon, which was responded by a round of laughter among the older men._

 _I looked at Jon and said, "I thought you didn't believe in mermaids."_

 _He blushed and while averting his eyes said, "I-I- I don't."_

" _Aye, and you shouldn't boy. I've lived here all my life and never once seen a mermaid. They're the stuff of legend and old fisherman tales. No use into putting any worry into them." Said Wylis._

 _Our two parties joined up after that, and we came to a dock with traders from Dorne. As the men were speaking to them, I went to the edge of the dock and looked down into the water. Even if they didn't believe in mermaids, how were they sure they weren't real? People thought dragons weren't real, yet they still existed. Who's to say that mermaids don't exist?_

 _Suddenly, I felt Nova being snatched from my arms. I turned to see Robb with a mischievous look on his face, as held up my doll by her arms, wiggling her in front of me. The men were aboard the ship, talking to the captain so they didn't notice that Robb snuck away._

" _Robb, that's not funny! Give her to me!" I demanded, trying to get her back as Robb dodged my every move._

" _No, I'm having too much fun. Catch Snow!" Robb threw Nova to Jon, who was looking inside of a large empty crate._

" _What?" Jon asked. He stood up too late as he missed Nova, who flew over his head and went into the water._

 _My eyes widened and I ran over to the side of the dock, to the edge, where I saw Nova floating on the surface of the water, due to her being filled with hay._

 _I sighed in relief, as I looked around me for something to grab her with. There wasn't really anything to get her with. Everything was either too heavy of filled with something else. I got on my knees and held onto the pillar beside me as I reached forward to get Nova. My hand was outstretched as I reached out to get her. Knowing I would never reach her if I still held onto the pillar, I let go and used one hand to grasp the edge of the dock and the other to get my doll. My body leaned forward and my heart was pumping. I did my best to put any thought of mermaids out of my mind, as my fingertips came in contact with the fabric of Nova's dress._

 _Then I heard a "ROAR!" behind me and I jumped up in fright, effectively falling into the water. I made a loud splash and my body submerged._

 _I started to panic._

 _The biggest body of water I ever swan in was the shallow hot springs by the Weirwood tree at Winterfell._

 _My eyes stung from the saltwater, and when I managed to come back up for air, I let out a blood-curling scream._

" _ **HELP**_ _!"_

 _I screamed once more, something incoherent, before going back under taking in some water as I did. I choked as I wasn't able to breathe. I tried to get back up flailing my arms above me, but the weight of the wool from my cloak and dress dragged me down to the near bottom, to where my hands brushed the soft sand below me._

 _My lungs started to squeeze under the pressure of not being able to let out a breath. Everything was groggy, from my sight to my hearing._

 _Then I saw it. Something coming towards me._

 _A human-like figure._

 _I opened my mouth to scream, but only bubbles came out. Liquid filled my lungs and nose, as this creature came to me, grabbing me by the dress._

 _I scratched the back of their hand, causing them to bleed as I began to feel worn down, almost tired. Dark spots clouded my vision and I felt the creature grab my body._

 _They were going to kill me and haul me to the darkest depths of the ocean. They were going to feast upon my remains and Nova's as well. I felt my head limp back as it gathered me it its arms and swan upwards._

 _Air hit my face and I started to cough. I gasped, choking on this huge on sought of air. Black spots still clouded my vision, and my throat felt raw._

" _Grab her!" I heard someone command. Several pairs of hands grabbed me by my dress and pulled me up onto solid ground._

 _Someone started pounding on my chest, as I heard something exit the water and slosh down next to me._

 _Several voices filled my ears, including a large smack._

" _What in the Seven Hell's happened?!"_

" _I was only playing, I swear it was an accident."_

" _Will she live?"_

"' _Felia! Open your eyes!"_

" _I damn near pissed myself when I heard her scream."_

" _I'm sorry, Lord Stark. I should've paid closer attention, this is on me."_

" _Poor girl."_

 _I started to cough up some water, and the person pounding on my chest sat me up, allowing me to cough up some more._

 _I heard a collective sigh of relief, and my eyes cleared up to see everyone, plus the captain and some wet sailor, surrounding me._

 _Then Lord Stark came over and took me from the wet sailor. He stood up and cradled me, carrying me against his body._

 _I started to cry._

 _Well actually, I started to cry loudly. By the looks of everyone, it made all the men uncomfortable watching me cry._

" _There, there child. There's no need to fret, you're safe now." Lord Manderly stated calmly. I stated to hiccup due to my sobs._

 _Through my tears, I saw the wet sailor. He was young, well about Lord Stark's age, and he was looking intently at me._

 _I looked up at Lord Stark to see his grey eyes focused on the sailor, and the sailor staring back at him, both silently communicating something._

 _Then I saw the scratches on the back of the sailor's hand. So it wasn't a mermaid. It was him._

 _He saved me._

" _Thank you." I croaked out to him._

 _He snapped his gaze away from Lord Stark, and the sailor looked at me. His expression, I can only describe as melting. Perhaps it was me imaging things, perhaps it was me being delusional, but his gaze softened and he looked as if he were ready to cry. It was probably just the sea water though._

 _He tilted his head to the side and looked me over, then asked, "Are you okay?"_

" _I was scared. I'm sorry I scratched you." He gave me a reassuring smile, his dirty blonde hair sticking to his face. He shrugged and gestured to his hand. "Oh, this? This is nothing, I have more scars than what you did. Just another to add to the collection."_

 _The captain bounded over to him, and gave him a pat on the back._

" _Good job, Mr. Flowers." The sailor nodded and looked me over._

" _Thank you, Captain."_

" _What I want to know is how you managed to fall into the water." Stated Wylis glancing from the water to me._

 _Then everyone turned to stare at Robb._

 _Jon, who was right beside him, shifted slightly away from him as everyone looked at him._

 _Robb went pale and stammered. "I-I-I-"_

" _Boy, if you don't start speaking clearly now there will be hell to pay." Lord Stark rumbled lowly, looking at his son who started to shake in fear._

 _Lord Manderly, sensing the tension, put his arm on Lord Stark's shoulder and quietly said, "Ned, he's just a boy. I'm sure he meant no harm. It was an accident." Lord Stark jerked his shoulder from his friend's grasp and glared at his son._

" _Only an accident? That accident could've killed somebody. I told you to say aboard with me, and you ran off, disobeying my command."_

 _Tears started to pool in Robb's eyes as he glanced around him, seeing that everybody was watching him get reprimanded._

" _I know, Father. I'm sorry."_

" _SORRY DOESN'T FIX THIS, ROBB!" Everyone, including me, looked at Lord Stark who was fuming. We were all shocked, since Lord Stark was the epitome of a patient parent. I swore, if he wasn't still holding me, he would've swatted Robb on his bottom._

 _He lowered his voice to a normal volume again and said, "Life is not a game you can play with. Being Lord is not a game you can play with. Every decision you make can affect your people for better or worse. Eating contests, being late to breakfast, disobeying my command…It's time you've grown up. You won't be a boy forever Robb, this stops now."_

 _With that he left behind his now crying son for the horses. Lord Stark had Jory take me, Jon, and Robb to New Castle. When we got there, Robb wouldn't look me in the eye._

 _We got to our room where the Maester had some tonics ready for me to drink, in order to prevent sickness and a nasty sore throat. After he left, the maid who got me ready that morning, dressed me for bed even though it was still light out._

 _After I was tucked in and the maid left, Jon came to my bed ad sat next to me. We sat in silence, then I started to sniff a bit._

" _Nova is gone."_

 _Jon looked at me with pity and stared ahead, his small body slumped against my headboard._

" _I know. I saw her go under after you did. I'm sorry, 'Felia."_

 _I glared over to where Robb was laying, his back turned to us, his hand underneath his head. He gotten humiliated today in the form of a reprimand in front of some very important Lords'. Usually, I would've given him a big hug and asked if he wanted to play with Nova._

 _But Nova wasn't here and that was because of him._

" _I hate you." I muttered quietly glaring over at Robb. I was little at the time and extremely angry. It was lost to me what a word like hate could do to someone. I didn't understand the gravity of the word or the implications that would come because of it, but all I knew in that moment was that my blood was boiling. Looking back, I didn't actually hate Robb but I was very mad at him. Still, I uttered these words that would forever change the course of our relationship._

 _Jon looked at me in shock, and said, "Ophelia you don't mean that." I nodded as I sat up and looked at Robb's back._

" _Nova is_ _ **dead**_ _because of you. I loved her and she's fish food now! I almost died today, Robb. And you don't even care. You're not my friend, you're a mean bully. And I hate you. I Hate You. I HATE YOU!" I bellowed the last part out as Jon looked between me and Robb with wide eyes._

 _For once, he had no anecdote to say to make it better._

 _Robb got up from his bed, and looked over at me his gaze hardening._

" _Fine. If you hate me, then I hate you too." He then got up and left the room. As soon as the door closed I screamed and threw my pillow at it._

 _Jon looked at me in pity, then opened the door to run after his brother._

 _I was alone._

 _The next day, I stayed in my room taking my meals in bed like the night before. It was a precaution in case I was sick. The boys left to go with Lord Stark, and when they came back Robb refused to look at me._

 _Jon came over and then placed something at the foot of my bed._

" _I got this for you." I crawled to end of my bed see what it was._

 _It was a bracelet, made of intricate multi-colored threads, with a single piece of sea glass resting in the middle._

" _Thank you Jon." I put it on my wrist and hugged him. He patted me awkwardly and said, "A man was selling them in town today for a silver a piece. I thought it would make you feel better."_

 _I let go of him and made a point of looking at Robb who was glaring at the both of us. "You're a real friend, unlike some people." I said narrowing my eyes at the Stark boy._

 _Robb's hands balled up into small fists and his cheeks reddened. "You're stupid, Ophelia. She was just a doll, get over it." I got up from my bed and pushed Robb._

" _You're stupid!"_

 _He pushed me back. "No, you are."_

 _Push. "You are!"_

 _Push. "You are!"_

 _Push again. "I hate you. Your face looks like poop!"_

 _Pushed harder. "I hate you more! Your eyes look like evil fire!"_

" _That was a stupid comeback, Lord Whiny Baby!"_

" _Your life is a stupid comeback."_

" _STOP IT!" Jon yelled. Robb and I looked at him, and he turned red upon the sudden attention. "Just shut up the both of you."_

 _After a moment's pause, I looked at Robb and said, "Stay away from me. Don't ever talk to me again you...You...You murderer!"_

" _Fine. I wouldn't want to talk to a stupid lowborn girl anyway."_

 _I gasped. Jon's jaw dropped. And Robb stood there as angry as I was._

 _So we ignored each other._

 _The next day, when we left White Harbor we said our goodbyes to the Manderly's. Seeing how Robb and I weren't even so much as looking at each other, Lord Manderly muttered to Lord Stark, "Good luck with that."_

 _On our trip back, Lord Stark did his best to repair our friendship but it was to no avail. We would either get mad, not talk, and at one point I actually lunged at Robb pulling his hair as Lord Stark tried to get me off of him. It took him, Jory, and Jon to get me off of Robb, whose face was left full of scratches._

 _When we got to Winterfell, My Lady greeted Lord Stark first at the gate. He gave her a couple of the sticky fruits but they were unsliced, and she smiled in thanks._

 _Then when she saw Robb and Me, her eyes widened and she looked over at Lord Stark who looked beyond exhausted._

" _I'll explain later." He said. And he did._

 _But the damage was done. It was no use to try and repair what was left of our friendship, as hard as My Lady did try._

 _It was burned beyond repair and that is one of the things I probably regret most in my life._

 **So there you have it, an extra-long chapter explaining the reason why Robb and Ophelia never talk. Also, it gives you an in-depth look at the relationship between Ophelia and Jon, as well as Ned Stark and Catelyn. Sorry, I haven't updated in a while. I've been busy taking summer courses at my school. (Shrugs) Also, I was originally going to make this chapter about the aftermath of Ophelia's whipping, but I believe this one may be of more importance. So please read, review, and rest easy.** **P.S. If we could get this story up to at least 22 reviews, it would make my day!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello! So, here's the next chapter all sparkly and new. (Throws glitter on it.) Anyways, I just wanted to say how thankful I am to have such amazing reviewers. I got 24, when I only asked for 22, and it just made my day! Also 21 favorites and 24 follows! You guys are amazing. :D So, recently I've been feeling a bit under the weather. I got a tonsillectomy on the 15** **th** **and it was my first surgery. My throat has been killing me, but I've been fortunate enough to have access to something as wonderful as ice-pops and Fanfiction. Oh, and also I was wondering as to who you (as readers) would like to see Ophelia eventually pair up with. Lol, it could be anyone at this point in in time, and I'd love to see who you predict she'd fall for. I know based on the comments that the top three ships are: Theon, Robb, and Jon. But hey, if you think there's some other character (ha-ha at this point it could even be Pod or Gendry) she'd get on with, let me know in the reviews why you think that. If you let me know who you ship her with, I'll give you the song that inspires me to write about Ophelia/whoever's interactions. Anyway, let's get on with the story!**

1st P.O.V. Winterfell

Sweet buns.

Hot, fresh, just-came-out-of-the-oven sweet buns were the first thing that I smelled when I awoke from sleeping on my stomach.

My head felt groggy and my eyes were blurry. I groaned as I shook my head so my eyes could clear up.

I closed them again, shook my head, and opened them.

Everything was still a bit blurry, but I could see a bit better.

I was on a bed, I knew that much, but I didn't know where. All that was in front of me was the headboard to my bed and the stone wall behind my bed. Judging by my lack of foreboding feeling in my stomach and risen hair on my arms, I could tell I was somewhere safe, most likely Winterfell.

But where in Winterfell was I? This wasn't my room, because my room was small. It had three beds, all filled with variations of straw and feathers, and it only had one window with no fireplace.

This room though, felt much like the room that I occupied in my youth before I was told I needed to start working. The one with the four-poster bed, small fireplace, and a window with a seat.

I knew that by seeing my arms right beside my head, I was in my nightgown but by the air settled on my posterior, I knew the cloth of my nightgown had been cut and my back was exposed. I shifted to my right side a bit, only for me to hiss in pain.

"Well, that was a bad idea." I murmured lowly to myself. I put my face into my pillow and groaned. I was confused. What had happened, and where exactly was I?

"Ophelia, don't move if it hurts too badly. Your wounds are just barely beginning to scab." I lifted my head and turned it left to see Maester Luwin standing in front of me, holding a corked bottle filled with a thick paste. Behind him was My Lady, looking a bit haggard in her nightclothes, and sleeping in a chair with a book in her hands. I squinted my eyes and barely made out the gold metallic title, 'The Seven Pointed Star'. My heart fell a little. Did something happen? My Lady only read that holy book until she fell asleep if something bad happened to somebody she loved. Then my mind went back to what Maester Luwin previously said.

"Wounds? What do you mean, wounds?" I asked him, my voice a bit hoarse from not using it.

The old balding man cocked his head to the side in confusion. He walked over to the table next to My Lady, and set down the bottle next to a plate of piping hot sweet buns. Ahh, so that's where the smell came from. Luwin then sat in the spare chair next to My Lady and scooched it closer to me.

"Ophelia, what is the last thing you remember?"

I closed my eyes in concentration and tried to think back to my most recent memory. I shifted through my last remembered day, then I gasped.

"I went to the market with Theon and Jon!" I said, surprised that I even forgot in the first place.

Maester Luwin nodded then gestured a 'go forth' signal with his right hand. "What do you remember from the market?"

I furrowed my eyebrows in concertation. "Theon left to go with a whore, I think her name was Rose or Ros, something like that. Jon was a bit hungry from not eating breakfast, so we got some fruit, and were going to get some sweet buns but ended up forgetting about them. After eating, Jon and I went to go get Theon so we could go pick up some fabric for Lady Sansa, but he wouldn't come. He and Jon got into a bit of an argument…" I retraced slowly, trying to remember what came after Jon and Theon's fight.

Huh….what _did_ happen after Jon punched Theon?

I closed my eyes. Jon helping up the prostitute. Jon leaving and I going out to see where he went. There was people running…..the mob! Villagers were trying to escape the deranged horse. I was caught up in all the action when…..

"Holy Maiden!" I exclaimed pushing my torso up with my forearms. I ignored the screams of pain from my back as I came to remember what happened.

"He had me whipped. That spice merchant had me whipped! He thought I had a master or something and he blamed me for his product being lost. The soldiers wouldn't take me to Lord Stark, and whipped me under false charges that the Warden of the North did not approve. They were already whipping me by the time Jon and Theon found me. They tried to stop them, but I don't remember what else happened." I lied about the last part. I do know what happened. That whore came over and gave me Milk of the Poppy. Her eyes held sympathy and she did me a kindness, allowing me to pass out after all that pain. No, I wouldn't let anyone know of her good deed. I decided to find her and thank her myself.

Maester Luwin looked at me in sadness. He clasped his hands together and glanced over me.

"The boys ended up getting into a scuffle with the soldiers on duty after you passed out. What I was told is that Jon mostly did the fighting, whereas Theon managed to break you out of your chains, well according to him, but I believe he actually just swiped the key from one of the soldiers. Finally, the tavern owner came out and vouched for the identity of the two of them. More soldiers came after hearing about the fight that was going on and some who have been to Winterfell, acknowledged Jon's identity as Lord Stark's bastard. During all of this the merchant who caused this mess left.

Theon managed to borrow a cart from the tavern owner and put you in it. He drove you to Winterfell. Jon managed to ride ahead and alert me, as well as Lord and Lady Stark about what occurred at the market. When you arrived, Lady Stark helped me get you up to this bedroom and we worked to heal your back. You lost a huge amount of blood, but managed to keep breathing. After we stopped the bleeding, we got you bandaged up. Lady Stark has refused to leave your side. Meanwhile, after hearing what happened Lord Stark took off with Robb and Jon. He interrogated everybody involved, with Jon helping him identify who was responsible for hurting you. He arrested the soldiers responsible for whipping you on the grounds of false accusations under the impersonation of the Warden of the North, as well as battery and assault of a Lady. Robb was told to go after the spice merchant with several of the House Guard, but after a couple days of searching, it is believed that he has already left the North."

I laid my head on my pillow as I took in all this new information. Jon and Theon got into a fight…for me? Theon drove me all the way to Winterfell in a cart, because a horse probably would have made my injuries a whole lot worse. My Lady personally helped oversee my wounds being attended to, and she never left my side. Jon and Lord Stark arrested the men who did this to me. And Robb…I mean Lord Robb, he went out for the merchant who caused all of this in the first place, although he did not catch him, it's the thought that counts.

Tears stung my eyes as I turned my head the other way so Maester Luwin would not see me cry. I was grateful to be in a house of people who could actually care for someone like me. Then another thought struck me. My eyes widened as I turned my head back to Maester Luwin.

"Did you say that Lord Rob searched for the merchant for several _days?"_ I asked slowly, making sure I got this out right.

The Maester nodded. "Yes. I'm guessing this comes as a shock to you?" He asked, a smile forming on his lips.

"I've been out for several days?! How many, to be exact?" I asked, my heart pumping with anxiety.

"Five, to be precise. This includes that day you went out to the market."

My palms started to get clammy and beads of sweat dotted across my forehead.

"Am I in trouble?" I questioned.

"Pardon?" Luwin asked, confusion written all across his face.

"Am I in trouble?" I repeated, making sure he understood every word.

He shook his head and chuckled a little bit. "No, the Starks are aware about the mob and that it was not your direct doing for the merchant's lost property."

"No, not about that. I've been in bed for several days! Is Lord Stark going to get mad at me for ignoring on my chores? I haven't been able to do them because I've been asleep."

Maester Luwin looked at me slack-jawed and gave me an incredulous look. "Ophelia, you've been injured. Do you honestly believe Lord Stark, out of all people, would not understand why you haven't been working?" He asked me this in a slight disbelief, then he quickly grabbed the bottle he set down earlier and looked it over, as if to see if it were the reason I asked such an idiotic question.

My cheeks burned as I realized my own stupidity.

"I suppose that was a bit foolish of me to ask." There was a pause then I said, "When will I be able to get back to work?"

Luwin looked at me, and sighed as he uncorked the bottle. "I don't know about you working, but you have been healing rather nicely, so you should be up and about in at least a couple more days."

I felt him go to the side of the bed and unwrap my previous dressing. I bit my lip in worry then asked him, "Will it scar?"

There was another pause before he answered, "Yes, it will."

I placed my face in my pillow and moaned in despair. Well, at least no one will see my back… no one but Katherine and Emily, the girls who share my room. I couldn't wait to hear what they had to say about everything, especially Emily who's had snarky remarks waiting for me ever since I moved in with the two of them.

I felt the bandages being removed, and air hit my lashings making me hiss slightly. Maester Luwin applied some of his soothing paste on me, and I sighed in contentment. I closed my eyes. Only a couple more days until I could get back to the normality of my schedule. He soon finished applying his sticky, sweet smelling paste on me and put on some clean bandages.

Maester Luwin talked to me a bit, just about random things, before he left. He told me that if I was comfortable enough I could sleep on my sides, and tomorrow I could try getting up, though warned me not to over exert myself.

About an hour after he left, My Lady moved a bit, her eyes were still closed when she put her hands on the arms of her chair, and sat herself up from her slumped down position she was sleeping in. Her book fell down onto the floor, making a loud _THUD_ in the process. She shook her head and sleepily bent down to pick it up. As she lifted up her torso to sit back upright in her chair, her Tully blue eyes opened and blinked several times before they made contact with my dark crimson ones that had been watching her.

Her mouth opened into a small 'O' and she dropped her book, putting her right hand over her mouth in shock at seeing me awake. Her eyes started to water in relief as she dropped to her knees and reached for my hand, cradling it against her cheek, something she often did when I was sick during the time I was a little girl.

I spoke softly. "Hello, My Lady. I'm sorry about all of the worry I've caused you. I hope you can forgive me."

She smiled at me, a single tear slipping down her face. I scooched to the right side of my bed and shifted to lay on my left side, so My Lady would have room to sit with me on the bed.

"I was so worried about you, Little Bird. I thought I was going to lose you. But you are okay, Gods be good." She laid down next to me, her back against the headboard. I put my head on her lap as she stroked my brown-red hair.

"I'm so thankful I didn't lose you." She said softly.

"Me too."

Well, the next two days passed. My Lady continued to stay with me until 'I was fit to handle going about on my own.' She helped me use the chamber pot (something we both agreed not to speak about once I was better), helped me eat, helped me bathe, she even helped Maester Luwin with my bandages.

My Lady helped me get up and held my arm as she had me pace about the room in my nightgown. My back was sore and didn't want to walk, but my legs needed to the excursion after not moving for a long time.

She even entertained me by reading to me. She mostly read poetry, but on the second night she read to me some history, which was fine by me considering how Lord Stark usually allows me to skip my lessons in the subject matter. It was about Aegon the Conqueror, and his loyal servant Nuri.

My Lady began reading.

 _House Targaryen was one of the forty ancient houses from Valyria who ruled the Freehold, though they were not the wealthiest nor the most powerful. It was there they stayed until Daenys the Dreamer foretold of the circumstances that would cause those who resided in Valyria to perish a terrible death. Fearful for his life and that of his family, Aenar Targaryen sold all of his estates and moved his wives, children, other relatives, slaves, wealth, and five dragons to Dragonstone, an island at the entrance of Blackwater Bay as well as a castle of the same name. Twelve years after fleeing, the Targaryen's heard news of the Doom that descended upon the city of Valyria leading to the collapse of the Freehold and countless of lives lost._

 _The century that followed was one that flowed with rivers of blood. Aegon the first, rider of Balerion, formed an alliance with Tyrosh and Pentos, to rebel against Volantis who had seized power after Valyria had been destroyed. Aegon, met with the prince of Pentos, and soon with the help of his dragon, set the Volantene fleet aflame in Lys. He soon returned home, as he had his sights set on the rest of the lands that occupied Westeros. In 2 B.C., Aegon along with Visenya and Rhaenys, his sister-wives, started his conquest with the help from their dragons. While Aegon was a great military commander, he did not entirely know the stretch of land that was Westeros. Before he invaded, he sent one of his servants to analyze the people and the land, giving the servant one year to map it out._

 _The servant came from a family that were part of the original group of slaves that Aenar had brought with him before the Doom. His family were among the few that were thankful to be rescued from such a terrible fate, even if it involved his family still being submissive. The servant's name was Nuri. Nuri began his travels in Lannisport, and made it all around the seven kingdoms nearly undetected. He would talk to the Maesters' that resided in any of the kingdoms, telling them that he was moving there to start a business as a fish merchant. He would ask about any customs he should be aware of, how the people were like in their day to day business, and would ask for a map of the kingdom so that he would not be lost whilst traveling to and from different villages to sell his goods. The Maesters would comply after Nuri made his case, as it was told he was a very good liar and was very charismatic. Any information about the kingdoms he visited, Nuri would send to Aegon under the guise of it being letters to his mother._

 _During one of his travels up in the North, Nuri was walking through the Wolfswood, when he heard the cries of a woman. Not really knowing what to do, he followed the noise only to discover a woman being attacked by a man, who was ready to slay her with his ax. Drawing his only weapon, a tiny dagger, he gouged the man's eye out and warned him to stay away. The man left, but not before telling Nuri that he should not help this woman for she was the Witch in the Wood, a rumored sorceress who put curses on men._

 _After the man left, Nuri saw that this woman had no boil on her nose, no crooked blackened teeth, nor any other sign that might have indicated she might have been a witch. Instead, she was a beautiful woman, who was his own young age and was breathless from her recent attack. With her directions, Nuri carried her to her home, a hovel in a hill. The woman was like none he had ever seen. She was more beautiful than his own mother, someone her loved with all of his heart, and was more radiant that any woman who had Targaryen blood._

 _The woman had never been shown the kindness of a man in her entire life, and just as he was with her, became smitten with the Targaryen servant. That night, they made love in her home with only the moon and stars watching. When the sun rose, Nuri woke to find the woman gone. For several days he searched the Wolfswood, never finding her. Before Nuri went on his way, he left a note, telling her that should she ever need him to go to Dragonstone for that is where he would be._

 _Nuri went about his usual routine, gathering information on the North before returning home to Dragonstone where a grateful Aegon awaited him. Pleased with his servant's detailed accounts on the people and places he visited, Aegon promised Nuri one wish, anything within reason. Knowing that his Lord would never be able to get back the one woman he loved, he asked for the freedom of him and his family. Aegon relented with much hesitation, due to him being apprehensive of losing such a helpful domestic. However, he was pleasantly surprised to find that Nuri chose to stay by Aegon's side when he began conquering. Aegon was not an extremely trustful man, the only friend he possessed was Orys Baratheon, but the loyalty of his former servant allowed him to trust Nuri. When his invasion began, Nuri proved more useful than the maps or readings he sent to Aegon, as he had an excellent memory and managed to memorize all the mountains, roads, and hills of the kingdom. Due to this influx of knowledge, Aegon made Nuri a commander for his army. Nuri used this newly-found position as a means of distraction from the beautiful woman he loved for a night in the North._

 _One night, whilst camping before the invasion of House Gardner of the Reach, Nuri saw a flash of red coming from a nearby cave. After dismissing it a couple times, his curiosity became the better of him and he went up to the cave to see what it was. There in the middle of the cave was a chunk of rock (perhaps a piece that fell from the roof after the three Dragons made their landing) and under it was the tail of ginormous majestic bird, twice the size of an eagle. Its colors were red, gold, and orange. After spotting Nuri, the bird squawked loudly, flapping its wings so that it could fly away, but only managing to fly in circles above the boulder that caught its tail._

 _Nuri moved to the bird and whispered sweet nothing to it, in order for him to calm the bird down. When the bird flew down, he held its body as he pushed the boulder with his back. With the tail free, Nuri held onto the bird. He looked the bird in the eye and asked if it was alright. The bird just stared at him, and when Nuri let the bird go, the bird flew. It flew in a circle, around Nuri. A swirl of colors formed a vortex around him, with sudden winds from all four directions making up the rest of this vortex. Nuri was too frightened to move out of this vortex, but alas, it did not last long. The colors suddenly disappeared along with the winds, but Nuri and the bird remained. The bird flew to Nuri's shoulder and resided there, unwilling to move._

 _Nuri, accepting his new companion, went down to the camp yet as he approached more people, the bird got scared and flew away. Soon, after the battle on the Field of Fire, Aegon and his company marched to Highgarden only to find it in the hands of its steward, Harlen Tyrell, who yielded the castle without cause for a fight and he pledged his support to Aegon. Initially, Aegon was going to give Highgarden to the Tyrell's but acknowledging everything his former servant has done for him, he gave the castle to Nuri and pronounced him Warden of the South and Lord Paramount of the Mander. He made the Tyrell's a noble family, though they felt slighted not to have been given Highgarden. Nuri, did not want the castle nor the title but felt it was rude to reject such a generous offer._

 _After the rest of the conquests, Nuri resided in his castle with his family for a little while. Aegon famously would tease his friend over being the only Lord without a sigil or words for his house, but Nuri took these jests lightly. When the First Dornish War started, Aegon once again made Nuri one of his commanders. Dorne, the only kingdom unwilling to submit to the might of the Targaryen power was invaded by the forces of the Iron Throne. Nuri, having visited Dorne before, was key in telling Aegon where the most valuable places for attack was. Aegon, though, wanted to be sure that some of these places would be fit to attack so, occasionally he would send Nuri ahead as a scout. Soon, Nuri proved that there was more to him than just his knowledge of the land. And this occurred because of an error on Aegon's part._

 _Aegon, not realizing that his sister, Queen Rhaenys was about to strike, asked Nuri to scout ahead and to take the fastest route to Sunspear. Knowing that the fast route was through Planky Town, Nuri went through there unaware that Queen Rhaenys was poised to burn down the town with her dragon. After hearing the screech of a dragon, and seeing the panic of people, Nuri knew a dragon was going to attack._

 _Nuri stole a horse and raced it to the largest hill outside of town, yet the flames still reached him burning him to nothing but ash. Queen Rhaenys watched on in horror as her dragon's fire accidentally killed one of her brother's closest friends, as well as his top commander. She flew back to her brother and told him of her mistake. Aegon, in disbelief, raced to the hill to see that it was true indeed. There was nothing but a great pile of ash that used to be his friend. For one whole day, the heavens looked down as Aegon refused to move from his knees as he mourned for his friend, whose death he felt was not his own fault, but was Aegon's. As the dawn broke, Aegon was about to leave when he noticed something strange. The wind started to blow, but only towards Nuri's remains. The wind formed the pile of ash into an outline of a body. All of a sudden, the winds from all four directions blew creating a vortex around the ash pile. Colors from every shade danced in the cyclone, then they all blew away, the colors, the wind, and the ash. Laying in place where the ash used to be, was Nuri. Naked and covered with soot, was Nuri alive and sleeping. His former blond hair becoming a burnt blue-black color. Aegon stood with his Dragon, Balerion, both in disbelief that his friend was resurrected right in front of him. Even more disbelieving was that his dragon went to Nuri and nudged him with its snout so he could wake up._

 _And wake up is what Nuri did, opening his now different colored eyes at his friend. Aegon gave Nuri his cloak and took him back to camp, where after regaling the events he had witnessed to everybody, he told Nuri to go home and rest._

 _Nuri did not go home though. He needed answers as to why he was alive and different looking. For the duration of the war, he searched all of Westeros for an answer until he finally found one. Nuri found his answer in the form of the woman he loved for a night in the North, several years prior. The woman was sitting on a rock, near a waterfall waiting for him somewhere in the Riverlands. Upon sight of her, Nuri fell to his knees in happiness at seeing his true love again. She saw him and embraced him, confirming that she knew it was him. It was there that she told him that she was indeed someone with magic, but not a sorceress or witch. She was an enchantress of the forest, who lived in Westeros since the First of Men appeared. Yet, she never came across a man who willing to put his life on the line to save hers…..until him. The night she gave him her maidenhood, she also gave him a gift for before leaving. The gift was that the next person or creature whose life he saved, would repay him in a way that was suitable for their kind. He had saved a phoenix that night in the cave, and there a phoenix gave him the powers of its kind._

 _When Nuri asked why she left, the woman revealed she went on a journey to rid herself of her immortality to be with him. And when she finally succeeded, she would be with him. He coming across her in the Riverlands, however, was by fate. Nuri told her of his new title and the castle he now lived in. He told her that when she completes the task she set out for herself, to go to Highgarden, where they will marry and live together as husband and wife. After making love that night, he journeyed back to Highgarden where he spent the next several years waiting for his love's return. During this time when Aegon was not busy with royal duties, he would visit his friend. Aegon was sad due to Queen Rhaenys dying in the war, yet he delighted himself in the distraction that was Highgarden. On one such visit, Aegon asked Nuri if he has chosen a sigil and words yet. Nuri answered yes, but said he would not reveal them until his love married him. Two more years passed, when one rainy afternoon Nuri looked out from his castle's walls to see a soaked woman standing in the middle of the rose garden, in rags carrying a sack of her belongings. It was the enchantress. She became mortal and when Nuri saw her, he rushed outside in the pouring rain and kissed her. In only a matter of several weeks, Aegon allowed the two to marry in Kings Landing, which was a grand spectacular event. After kissing his new wife, Nuri announced to the woman, Seraphina, that she was now married into House Pyralis, whose sigil was a bright orange phoenix taking flight with the background of green. Their words were ones Aegon himself suggested, which forever became known as 'Risen from Ashes'._

 _Seraphina and Nuri had many beautiful children, but many took after the Valyrian tradition, as they married their siblings, cousins, or did not marry at all, refusing to mix their bloodline with other houses. It wasn't until Jaehaerys the Conciliator was king that a Pyralis chose to marry outside the family, the first time since Nuri married Seraphina. Urijah Pyralis, the only son of Nuri the second and Oriel, married Princess Viserra Targaryen. The two families then became intertwined. A tradition was born that if you were not to marry within your family, you would marry within the family. The children of the dragon and phoenix would marry every now and then, the most recent being Rowan Pyralis marrying Princess Daella Targaryen, sister to Aegon the Unlikely._

 _The story of the Dragon and the Phoenix is one that tells of loyalty to family and hope that love prevails, even after it seems like it won't._

My Lady closed the book, and put it on the table. It was night and I was smiling.

"I never heard much about House Pyralis before, My Lady. No one ever talks about them" I yawned and My Lady pulled the covers over me. She gave me a pinched smile and said, "Well…now you know a little bit. Tales of dragons and phoenixes have no place up here in the North" She laid on the side of me and flicked her braided red hair to her back, as she stroked my head.

"Sleep well, Little Bird. For there is a new dawn approaching and surprises that come with it." I chuckled softly falling asleep to the crackling of the fireplace, the humming of My Lady, and the sensation of fingers stroking my hair. 

**Whelp, there you have. Two birds with one chapter. The aftermath of Ophelia's whipping and a bit of history about her family. Also remember, tell me who you ship Ophelia with! I'd really love to know why lol and I'll give you a song. So anyways read, review, and rest easy. P.S. And if we could get my reviews to 29 reviews, that would make my day! Readers, I know you're out there and I believe in you! Next chapter, THE REVEAL! (Throws glitter your way)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello! So, as promised here is the song list for the shippers out there! Lol usually I don't listen to pop songs when writing a story, so a couple of the songs listed below are instrumental pieces. Also, a little side note: Just as Ramsay Bolton said "If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." This is under the drama section (as well as romance) and it will have some lighthearted moments, but some pretty dark ones as well. This means that just because my OC is paired up with someone, doesn't mean that pairing will last. I already have the endgame in mind for her but I want you, as readers, to keep that in mind. And regarding a Guest review: I'm so happy that you're reading my story, but I have it formatted to focus on the past as much as the present because it's crucial to Ophelia's journey. If one doesn't know the past, how can they understand the future?**

 **With that being said, thanks to all those who reviewed! I am so happy every time I see a new review, it brings me tears of happiness and squeals of delight! So here is the song list for the shippers out there:**

 **RobbxOphelia: To Sheila- by Smashing Pumpkins, (just type this in and click in the first video) Celtic Romance- Letters to a lost love, and My Funny Valentine-by Frank Sinatra**

 **JonxOphelia: Fade Into You- by Mazzy Star, Celtic Music-Moonsong, and Vera & Roland- These I Send to You (Testament of Youth) **

**TheonxOphelia: Pirate Love Song-Black Heart, Lust for Life-by Lana Del Rey, and Let Me Go- by Three Doors Down.**

 **Anyway, as always I do not own anything except for Ophelia and her slaughtered family.**

1st P.O.V. Winterfell

I woke up the next morning to find My Lady gone from the room. I laid my hand down on her part of the bed to feel that it was cold, meaning that she had been gone for a while. Honestly, I didn't mind it so much. I was taking up a mass amount of her time, what with her attending to my injured self, and she had more important duties to attend to, such as running the household.

Even though my position is not really clear in this place, I like being within and without. I have a vast amount of knowledge that pertains to being a Lady in court, but I don't ever get to use it (which is no big loss on my part). I have a couple nice objects that I possess, but nothing too grand as it would be overwhelming. I have the love of a noble Lord and Lady but since they are not focusing their attention on me, I get to do things that Lady Sansa or Lady Arya would never be able to, like going to Wintertown by myself. Yes, it does make me feel odd at times and like an outsider all of the time, but it's what I've gotten used to. One of my biggest annoyances is change. I don't mind, for example, little change. I enjoy having a shakeup in my routine every now and then, but huge change I'm opposed to.

However, life doesn't give you what you want. To fate, my life was ultimately a routine. And it decided that it needed a shakeup.

When I woke up without My Lady that morning, I laid in bed. It still hurt to get up, but it was the sort of hurt one feels after carrying something on their back for a while. As I wiggled about trying to find a comfortable position, my bandages rubbed up against my slowly healed wounds. I then realized that My Lady changed my bandages before leaving. It was nice to know that even as she had many more jobs to attend to she still had time to change my dresssings.

Then it came to mind that if My Lady left me, I was probably fit enough to be by myself. Which to an extent meant that I was well enough to go back to work.

I smiled and nearly jumped out of bed in excitement. FINALLY! No more being stuck in bed. No more lounging about. No more having My Lady help me use the chamber pot.

I shuddered as I thought about how uncomfortable that was.

I got up and looked around the room. None of my clothes were in here, only a wool brown robe I've been using if it got cold at night. Still, it was better than nothing.

I walked to the pole that held the robe and put it on, making sure to fasten it around my waist tightly.

I looked under the bed and in the wardrobe for some shoes, but there were none.

Perhaps my dress was given to the laundress to clean it? I didn't have very many dresses and the yellow one I usually wore was my working dress and my absolute favorite.

That still didn't explain where my shoes were though.

Shrugging, I stepped out of the room, barefoot, for the first time in a long while. There was no one in the corridor and the stones that made up the floor were so cold that I had to lift my feet off of the ground several times to get used to the chill.

I looked both left and right, and after seeing that no one was in the hall I made my way down the left side stairs, which would inevitably take me to the washroom.

I arrived to the familiar stone archway that was the entrance and soon a wave of steam hit my face. I poked my head inwards to see the group of ladies working, all clad in dirty white robes with head and mouth coverings to protect themselves. They were all chattering, probably about the latest gossip, and were busy enough that they didn't see me.

I cleared my throat so they would be aware of my presence.

They didn't even turn my way and kept chattering.

I huffed and crossed my arms. I don't like speaking in front of large groups of people, especially if I wasn't too friendly or familiar with those I was speaking in front of, but it seemed as if I had no choice now. I uncrossed my arms and dropped them by my sides, balling my hands up into sweaty, nervous fists.

"Hello?" I called out.

At least a dozen eyes turned to me and all the chattering ceased.

Taking a huge breath and disregarding my red cheeks to the heat coming from giant wooden washbins full of hot water, I paced myself to the head of this workcrew.

"I was wondering if you happened to have a yellow dress? I don't know if it's been sent to the wash or not."

Everyone kept staring at me as if I just announced that I like to kill babies in my pastime.

Why were they all staring at me?

Crossing my arms and looking down at the ground, I shifted my bare féet on the warm ground of the washroom uncomfortably.

The eldest of the women coughed, and I looked up to see her shake her head.

"I'm sorry. Lady Stark asked us to throw it away. There was too much blood that could not be taken out."

I widened my eyes in shock and tilted my head in confusion. " It's been thrown out?! Well, what about my red coat?"

One of the ladies from the back who was holding a damp sheet piped up. "We haven't received a red coat M'La- ummm Miss."

I raised my eyebrow at her comment. I shook my head. I didn't run in the same gossip circles these women obviously did, so I didn't know them. I did spend my time with Theon and Jon a lot, so maybe they assumed I was a Lady. Highly unlikely, but perhaps it was a possibility.

I smiled curtly and nodded my head despite my inner disappointment.

"Thank you for your time." I turned and left the room, only to hear them all group together and start talking. I crossed my arms together and went on my way.

Well, I had one other dress to wear that wasn't my nice dress. I just needed to make it to my room to retrieve it. I walked down the hall and climbed up the stairs to get to the servants' quarters.

As I was bounding up the stairs I bumped into the side of somebody who was walking in front of me.

I looked up with wide eyes to see the person I bumped into.

And I was hoping someone wouldn't see me in my nightgown and robe. Out of all the people I could bump into in this castle, it had to be him! Why was he up this early? No one besides Lord Stark, My Lady, and the servants are up this early.

With my arms still crossed I bowed to the man I smacked myself into.

"Good morning, Lord Robb."

The Young Wolf looked at me with his usual stoic expression but there was a twinkle of amusement in his eyes when he saw me clad in my nightclothes. Usually, this would be the part where he would ignore me but he turned fully towards me.

"Why aren't you wearing shoes?" He questioned me. Wow, he was really jumping right to the point, wasn't he?

"They weren't in the room I've been staying in."

"And I suppose your clothes are also missing?" He asked me his voice dripping with sarcasm, while folding his arms in front of his chest.

"No", I said in a much quieter voice, "The launderess threw my dress out. Too much blood she said."

He sighed as he looked around the surrounding area. His Tully blue eyes looked me up and down as he took in my homely appearance and he ran his hand through his curls in frustration.

He looked around one more time and without warning, he picked me up putting his right arm under my legs and his left arm around my mid-back. He started to walk, ignoring my disbelieving look and scarlet face.

I wiggled a bit (whilst ignoring the pain of him putting his hand on my freshly healed wounds) and mildly beat my hands against his broad chest.

"Excuse me?! This is highly inappropriate. I ask that you let me go!" I continued to wiggle around a bit until he came to a full stop and looked at me with his steely expression.

"Ophelia, shut up. I'm not about to let you walk barefoot. You'd get a cold and Mother would kill me if she knew that I didn't help you out."

"I don't need help!"

He ignored me until he came to the servants' quarters where we passed some people who looked at us with scandalized expressions.

The Young Wolf came to my door and set me down on my feet in front of my door. I looked at the door then back at him, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion.

"How did you know where my room is?"

A moment's pause then he said "Emily lives here. Theon usually pays this room a visit when you aren't present."

Eww.

As he started to turn away I quickly put my hand on his arm.

"Robb wait!"

He turned back at me with his eyebrows raised in surprise that I addressed him in such an informal matter, the first time in years. Yet, he did not correct me. Come to think of it, he's never corrected me on how to address him.

I blushed and quickly took my hand off of his arm and started to fiddle with my hands.

"I just...I umm...uhh.."

Frustration crossed Robb's features as he rolled his eyes.

"Spit out whatever you are going to say, I've got some tasks that need attending to."

I pushed down any embarrassment and looked him in the eyes. Then I bowed saying, " I heard you tried to go after the man who caused my whipping. I wanted to say thank you for putting forth the effort in trying to find him."

I looked up to see him with a blank expression on his face.

"It was father's instruction that I was following. I did not go after him by my own volition."

With that being said, he walked away.

I stared at his retreating back until it was gone completely from my sight.

I lamented about our past as children and closed my eyes, putting my forehead to the door.

I was such a stupid child.

I opened my eyes and went into my room.

I walked over to my chest and lifted the lid. I retrieved my only other work dress and and a spare pair of leather shoes.

My dress was one that I made myself. It was dark green and floor length. It has an even darker shade of green for a trim, and if one looked closely enough, it had an elaborate embroidery pattern on it. On the sleeves, there were strings that zig-zagged across each other that were used to tight the long sleeves on the dress.

I quickly shed my robe and carefully pulled on the dress, barely tightening the back laces. I unbraided my hair and looked into the cracked mirror by Katherine's bed to fix my hair into it's usual braided bun. I sat on my bed and just as I was about to pull on my shoes I heard a voice say, "What hour is it?"

I yelped and scooched back to the wall next to my bed and looked at the person with wide eyes.

" _Theon?!"_

I stared at the Iron Islander with wide eyes as he sat up in Emily's bed, the blanket falling off of him to reveal his bare chest. He rubbed his tired eyes with his right hand and looked around after opening them.

He turned his head to look at me across the way and gave me a lopsided grin.

"Well that was a good night."

My eyes basically popped outside of my skull as he stood up.

I covered my eyes just in time to hear him chuckle when the blanket fell on the floor, a sound that was deep, loud, and resonated to my mind the mortifying situation I was in.

"I was hoping to wake up to Em' but here I find you instead."

"Theon, can you please leave?! These are not your quarters."

I heard some rustling of clothes as they slid on his body and the fastening of his belt. I looked up to see him pull on his shirt. He was giving me his famous mischievous grin as his short went over his face and onto his chest.

"They may as well be with how much time I spend in here." He sat down on Emily's bed and started to pull on his socks and boots.

Theon looked at me, his stormy blue eyes and fun-loving grin slowly melting away as his gaze hardened as he stared at me. And in all seriousness and concern that a person could have for their friend, he said, "I'm glad to see that you are feeling better. That you are able to walk about."

My mortified expression gradually turned to one of thankfulness. I slid back to the edge of my bed, where I was originally sitting, and I gave Theon a small smile as I put my hand on his knee.

"Thank you. For everything. Words cannot express the gratitude that I feel towards you and everyone that has helped me."

I pulled my hand back as Theon stared at his knee and looked back at me.

"Are you fully healed?" He questioned as he saw me fiddling my hands.

"Barely. But My Lady wasn't with me this morning like she had been with the other days. I supposed this was her way of telling me that it was okay for me to go about my normal routine."

Theon looked skeptical but shrugged it off. He glanced over at my shoes and then to me.

"Why aren't your shoes on?"

"I was just about to put them on when I saw you in bed. It was probably going to take a while for me to put them on anyway. It still hurts to bend over and I..." I trailed off as I saw the disapproving look that crossed Theon's features.

"Don't over exert yourself, Ophelia! Allow me to help you."

Before I could protest he was already in front of me, strapping on my left shoe.

I turned bright red for the umpteenth time today and shook my head.

"You don't have to do this. I can do it myself, really!"

Without looking up Theon Greyjoy said, " This is what friends do for each other. And next time, just say thank you."

I nodded in gratitude as he helped me up to my feet. We both exited the room walking side by side. I made sure to shut the door before walking with Theon.

"I know this is none of my business and you have no obligation to tell me anything, but doesn't Emily usually go to your room?" I asked the Kraken looking into his stormy blue eyes.

His trademark smirk slid back into place as he rubbed his chin, pretending to think. He looked back at me and put his arms behind his head, making sure to flex his upper arms as he responded to my question.

"Aye, she does sneak into my room. But during supper she kept on smiling at me and touchin' me. I ended up leaving early before that other girl could get into the room."

I playfully smacked his chest and laughed a bit as he rubbed the part where I hit, pretending to look upset.

"It's not polite to hit, Missy!" He poked me in the forehead. I swatted his hand away.

"It's not polite to lock other's out of their room. And for your information, that other girl's name happens to be Katherine."

He shrugged as we walked around a left corner.

"Doesn't matter to me. She's not the one I'm fucking, but it's not for lack of trying." Theon added in quickly.

I shivered with disgust.

"Why can't you just fornicate with girls who don't share the same room with me?"

He paused his movements and gave me a odd look.

I stopped walking and glanced back at him, putting my hands on my hips, impatient that we stopped walking when I needed to fetch my apron from the kitchen before looking for truffles.

"What?"

Theon started to laugh and he shook his head. He strolled past me.

"You're far too innocent for your own good."

My cheeks flared up.

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

I shook my head in denial.

Theon decides to prove me wrong.

"How many guys have you fucked then?" I fully turned towards him, our bodies almost touching, my eyes wide at his audacious questions.

"What?! You can not ask a woman that sort of thing."

He cocked his head to his side, a knowing look gracing his features.

"Well any woman who's been thoroughly fucked would've answered the question."

I gave Theon a very mild glare and punched his shoulder lightly.

"Not all people lack the decorum that you so obviously lack, Theon."

He poked my side again and chuckled at my expense. "You're a maid. A sweet, rosy-cheeked, innocent maid who will undoubtedly be deflowered on her wedding night."

I threw my hands up in the air in exasperation. "That isn't a bad thing. I have no names or titles or anything else to protect me. All I have is...well...that. And if I can't even stay one, then I'll be nothing but a spinster because no man, not even the lowest of the low, would want me."

"You have the Starks to protect you." Theon pointed out.

I froze.

I thought about his statement.

It was true that the Starks would protect me, my whipping proved that much. I certainly loved them and I knew that Lord Stark and My Lady, at the very least, cared for me. But when push comes to shove, would they protect me above their very own kin?

I shook my head as these demons came hurling my way, making a grand entrance into my thoughts.

Despite how much I adored everyone who held the Stark name, even Bran and Rickon who I rarely speak to, I'm not a Stark.

No...I'm just the girl who serves them food.

I mentally slapped myself and shooed away the darkness that was occupying my mind.

What use was there to think these bad thoughts? What good would it do for me, or anyone? All it would do is cause a row and that was something no one needed at the moment. This was the North, not the South. There is no room for drama and petty complaints when we're the first to be hit by winter storms. There's too much to do and not enough room for the menial whines of one person.

I peered up at Theon, who went silent.

"I know that look. We'll talk about it later." He patted his hand on my shoulder shortly before leaving in the direction we came.

I groaned and hit my palm to my forehead.

Am I that easily readable?

I made my way to the kitchens where the cook was starting to heat up the fires.

"Hello!" I stated loudly, smiling at the prospect of working again.

The cook turned around, startled by my sudden appearance, and looked at me warily. He shifted his eyes and backed away from me, as if I had greyscale or smallpox.

And the look he was giving me...

It was the same exact look the laundress and other ladies gave me down in the washroom.

My smile dimmed slightly as I pushed the cook's odd behavior out of mind.

Maybe he was just having a bad day.

I glanced behind him noticing that he was starting the fire. Oh, so that was it! No one stoked the fire last night and it died completely. Someone was supposed to make sure that there were at last embers glowing, if not then starting a whole new fire would have to be made and would make anyone annoyed.

I walked past him and went to grab my apron, still hanging on the hook from the last time I used it.

My forearm was grabbed before I could even grasp the fabric of my apron.

I looked at the portly man, whose hairy arm was attached to mine. His brown eyes and bushy eyebrows were focused on me intently.

"I am no longer in need of your assistance. Please refrain from stepping foot in this kitchen in the upcoming future."

Wait...what? Did I hear him right?

I turned my gaze towards him as his look held one of determination.

The determination of letting me go from my serving position within this household.

I wretched my arm from his grasp and rubbed the part where his hand had grabbed me.

"I'm sorry...but I don't understand. Did I do anything wrong?" I looked at him.

He just stared at me. It seemed like an eternity until he admitted, "No. But Emily will be taking over your tasks from now on, including your duities pertaining to Lady Sansa."

I probably seemed really stupid, just standing there slack-jawed.

"Emily?! But I have chores to do and Emily doesn't know how I do them! How will I earn my keep? Did I do something wrong?!"

"I've informed her of your routine and how you go about doing your job. She took it into account. You did not do anything wrong, and as for earning your keep, that's something for you to figure out on your own."

My chest constricted and tears welled up in my eyes. The cook went back to attending the fire and I still stood there.

Quickly grabbing my apron, I quickly walked out of the kitchens and made my way into the tilt yard.

I turned my head all directions and looked around. He wasn't here.

I was angry.

How dare they let me go?! I did nothing wrong and I enjoyed working. I did everything the way people told me to, I never talked back, I was efficient in my work...

Why let me go?

And what would I tell Lord Stark? He was the one who sent me to work in the first place...he would be disappointed to find out that I was no longer needed.

Furiously wiping my leaking eyes, I saw the person I was looking for.

"Theon!" I called out to him.

He was walking towards my direction, presumably to set up the weapons for later, when he saw me.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be working?"

"Nah, they wanted me to take more time off." I lied looking away from him.

I couldn't let him know.

All I needed was a distraction, and Theon Greyjoy was a great one. I knew that if I was feeling well enough, then I could go to lessons today, but I didn't want to study. My mind wouldn't be focused on learning anyway. It would be on me being let go.

"So, will you be going back to bed?" Theon asked in earnest as I tied my apron to my dress

I shook my head.

"Actually, since I'm feeling better, I was wondering if you wanted to take the day off with me."

His eyes widened and he looked around. In a low voice he asked, " Are you sure? Lord Stark will have my head if I'm not here."

I raised a skeptical eyebrow at him.

"Since when do you pass up an opportunity to make a little mischief, Theon Greyjoy?"

He looked thoughtful for a bit.

"Good point. Meet me outside the kitchens in ten."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Get out of my kitchen, you wretched boy!"

I watched with wide eyes as Theon, holding a knapsack ladden food, sprint out of the kitchens as a pan came hurling towards his head.

I quickly ducked and covered my own head to avoid getting hit as the pan flew above my head, hitting the wall behind me with a huge noise resonating throughout the vicinity.

I stood up and uncovered myself as Theon came rushing towards me.

"What did you do?!"

Theon ran past me, grabbing my hand as a ladle came towards him hitting the wooden beam above our heads. We ran hand in hand to the stables where after opening the gate, he attached the knapsack to his saddle bag.

"Made the cook angry. I suppose he wants to make mincemeat out of me now."

He climbed up on his saddle and offered his hand. I took it and climbed behind him, grabbing his waist tightly.

He ushered the horse forward, when I noticed something was off.

"Theon", I called out to the man who was sitting in front of me, "doesn't this horse belong to J-"

"Oi!" A voice rang out cutting off my sentence. "That's my horse, Greyjoy!"

I turned to see a fuming Jon, who for a moment looked shocked to see me out of bed, but continued to glare nonetheless.

"Sorry!" I mouthed to him. I did feel a bit bad for doing this, especially since he helped with everything, but as I said before I needed the distraction.

Jon glared at the both of us.

"Ophelia, don't go anywhere with him. Get off the horse right now." He commanded raising his arms in preparation to help me get down.

"Fuck off, Snow!" yelled Theon, grinning that he got caught 'borrowing' Jon's horse. Theon lived for the thrill of the edge. He soared at the thought of getting caught doing something he shouldn't be doing. Usually, I'm not one for these types of schemes. But Theon's charismatic energy was infectious and I really wanted to embrace some of it into my own being.

I widened my eyes and looked back at Jon who looked like he was ready to throttle Theon.

The immature part of me started to laugh at the look on Jon's face as Theon raced the horse forward to the Hunter's Gate, where upon seeing us, the guards lifted up the gate and let us pass through.

Theon steered the horse in the direction of the Wolfswood.

We rode for about a half hour by horseback until we got a decent distance away from the castle. Theon hopped down from the horse, helped me down, and untied the knapsack from the saddle bag.

I smiled at him apologetically.

"I'm sorry you missed breakfast."

He waved me off and turned towards me, holding up the bag.

"What do you think this was for?"

I giggled as he handed me the knapsack and we started to walk side by side.

I glanced into the bag at the meat pies.

"How did you manage to get meat pies when the cook hadn't prepared anything?" I asked.

Theon chuckled and reached over into the bag grabbing a pie for himself. With a mouth full of food from a huge bite he replied, "They're from last night. There were a couple still left so I grabbed whatever remained along with some carrots."

My mouth watered. I immediately grabbed a carrot and started to munch on it.

"So why the Wolfswood?" I asked after swallowing my first bite of the orange vegetable.

Theon kicked a rock and led the horse above a raised tree root.

"I thought you might not have wanted to go to Wintertown so soon after what occurred there on our last visit."

I took another bite of my carrot (as if the vegetable would give me sudden courage) effectively finishing it off, and looked at the Kraken with regretful eyes.

"I am so sorry", I said quietly, my voice barely above a whisper, "I acted like a child. I know how you like to spend your time it's just that..."

Theon stopped the horse and looked at me.

"Yeah?"

I took a deep breath and began to speak what has been occupying the back of my mind since I woke up from my short-lived slumber after the whipping. "I was jealous. I thought that maybe I wasn't good enough for you to spend time with anymore, that maybe my company was below that of a whore's. And I thought that if I'm not even good enough company for you, my closest friend, how low must I really be..."

Theon continued to stare at me. He sighed and walked over to a low hanging branch and tied the horse's reins to it. He climbed on top of the horse and leapt up to catch the branch above his head. He pulled himself up and began climbing up more and more until I could only see the soles of his boots.

Did I say something to scare him away?

"ARE YOU COMING?" I heard his voice yell from the tree tops.

Grinning, I slung the bag across my body and copied Theon's movements. I hiked up my dress a bit to climb better and soon I saw Theon sitting on a huge branch at the very near top.

Hearing me come up, he looked down and extended his hand which I graciously took and with his help, he pulled me up to his branch. There was enough room for the two of us to sit next to the trunk of the tree. We were safe as we were not on the outer part of the branch with nothing to lean against. I wobbled a bit, slightly swaying back and forth on the branch but I found my balance soon enough and my lips turned up into a breathless smile at Theon.

We were looking overhead at the rest of the forest, staring at the vast amount of trees extending for miles in all directions. Towards the East, if you squinted hard enough, you could faintly make out the top of Winterfell's towers in the distance.

It was beautiful and peaceful.

"Do you know what I see?" asked Theon quietly, not even looking in my direction.

"What?"

"I see birds and squirrels and chipmunks. I also see how the roots of some trees show, while others do not."

My face scrunched up in confusion.

"What do you mean?" I asked him. What did a tree have to do with anything? I needed the clarification from him, because frankly, this threw me off guard.

Theon tore his gaze from the forest to me and said, "The birds go south, the squirrels will sleep, and the chipmunks will die. The leaves fall and the tree becomes bare. Yet, these living things eventually return because they depend on the tree. Even though the tree might look weak with it's roots showing, there's no telling how strong the might of it can really be. But to be a forest, there cannot be one tree alone. All the trees depend on one another to create the Wolfswood and in return, all the critters that scurry and fly depend upon the trees."

He sighed and looked me in the eyes. And for a moment I did not see The Kraken who was famous among the women in the North and who was a mischievous troublemaker. I saw Theon Greyjoy, the scared boy who arrived to a foreign place because he was a prisoner of war.

"It may not seem like it but I depend on you...for so much in my life, I depend on you. And if something happened...I don't think I could go on. The Starks, they depend on you as well. I saw your look earlier, and yes you might serve them wine at their meals and empty out their chamber pots, but they care for you. Any fool could see that."

My stomach bounced about and I smiled towards my friend. I patted him on his head and said, "There, there. I depend upon you as well."

Then the small boy who ghosted behind the veils of Theon's eyes faded away and the cocky man returned.

He snorted and tussled my now unbraided hair. "Leave it to you to make any situation awkward."

I thought back to what he said earlier. The Starks depended on me...but did they value me, or were they scared to anger someone who would so willingly help them with any of their needs?

As I munched on my meat pie that I grabbed from the knapsack, Theon asked, "Are you still upset your position within the household was given to Emily?"

I swallowed the crust and bits of steak I was chewing on and said, "To an extent, yes but you have really helped in cheering me..." My voice trailed off as I whipped my head to the side to see Theon with his knowing smirk. He tapped the side of his noggin and chuckled, " You really are too easy to read. I put together what happened as soon as I saw you and I had the cook confirm the rest...well before I snatched up the pies."

I looked down in defeat and took another bite of my pie.

"Lord Stark will not be pleased." I murmered.

Theon turned his gaze to me and scooched in closer.

"Who was the one that had you do those chores in the first place?" He asked me, although we both already knew the answer.

"Lord Stark." I said.

"Mmm-hmm. And who gave you the list of chores for you to do?"

I finished off the rest of my pie before answering. "Well there is a double answer for that question. Lord Stark and My Lady asked what I would be comfortable doing and then they assigned me my schedule. They told the rest of the household and everyone had to adjust their daily routines to accommodate mine, especially the cook. Though, to be honest, I didn't start actually helping out with Lady Sansa and Lady Arya until two years ago."

He nodded and started to speak slowly, as if I couldn't comprehend what he was to say next

"So if everyone takes orders from the Starks, who do you think gave the cook orders to let you go?"

My eyes widened in realization.

"Lord Stark did! But...why?" I asked a bit startled by Theon's deduction of my unemployment.

"I don't know, but I think it's a good thing." He said staring off into the distance again.

"How is being without a job a good thing? How will I pay my dues?"

He sighed in frustration and looked at me.

"Don't you see how lucky you are?! To be lowborn, to be free?! You being let go could be the Stark's way of saying that you are no longer indebted to them. That's the beauty of not being noble. Even Jon Snow to some degree has duties to attend to that are linked to him having noble blood. But you...you can go anywhere in the world and not have any obligations to anyone but yourself. You should see the world while you're still young and go explore. Some of us aren't as lucky as you..."

Theon turned away from me and leaned the back of his head against the tree and shut his eyes tightly.

I never realized how hard it must have been for Theon to be in a glass prison. He could see the outside world, and it could see him, but what was so plainly in his view was forever out of reach. And that anger and frustration that must have been building up over the years was definitely threatening to spill out.

I didn't want to see what happens when an Iron Islander is drowned by something other than water.

I decided to steer the subject into a more lightly matter.

"I've always wanted to go the the Summer Isles." I stated, hooking my arm through Theon's. He tilted his head back into an upright position and opened his eyes.

"Why there?" He asked in a blunt yet curious voice.

He took the bait.

I smiled and fiddled with my fingers.

"They have good fruit over there."

Theon opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly a drop of water landed on his nose. He took his hand and wiped the drop off of his skin. His stormy blue eyes looked upwards and a couple more droplets of water hit his face as well as mine.

It was starting to rain again.

"Time to go!" He said quickly. Grabbing my arms, he helped lure me back down to the horse and swiftly followed. We rapidly got down to the forest floor and I tied the knapsack to the saddle bag as Theon untied the reins to Jon's horse.

I climbed onto the back of the saddle as Theon got on the front and we went off, back towards the direction of Winterfell.

Needless to say, we were slightly damp but not too wet when we passed through the Hunter's Gate. We rode the horse back to his own stall where, Theon unsaddled it and fed it some oats.

"Thanks for the good time." I told Theon as he unbuckled the saddle to go put it away

He grinned at me. "Any time."

Out of good spirits, I kissed him on his cheek as he was still holding the saddle. His grin got even wider and he left to go put it away.

Turning around with the knapsack in hand, I saw at the end of the row of stables was Jon, who had his arms crossed and looked, daresay, livid.

His nose was scrunched up in a snarl, his arms were crossed against his chest, his fist were balled up tightly, and he glared at Theon's retreating back.

Then he turned his glare to me.

Laughing nervously, I tried to walk past him but he stuck his arm out, preventing me from going anywhere.

"I'm sorry about what Theon said earlier", I said quickly, "and for borrowing your horse without your permission. But this will be the first and last time it will happen. As you can see the horse is fine and-"

"What were you doing in the Wolfswood, alone with him?" Jon interuppted, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Just spending some time together."

"How so?" He asked angrily.

I raised an eyebrow at him and crossed my arms.

"We ate some food and climbed a tree. Is that so bad?" I asked defensively.

"You know as well as I the reputation Theon Greyjoy has. Going off alone with him into the woods would look bad. He brings girls he intends to lay with to the Wolfswood." Jon unfolded his arms and took a step closer to me.

I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "And YOU know as well as I that this isn't the first time me and him have gone some place alone together. He took me to the Wolfswood because he thought that I might not want to go back into town, so soon after 'the incident' that occurred on our last visit. Or did you forget?" I snapped at him.

Jon's righteous anger died and he looked at me with repentance.

"Forgive me, Ophelia. I know you're not like those other girls, but things are different now and you have to be more careful about yourself." He said in earnest. My annoyance fizzled away.

"There's nothing to forgive, Jon. You were just worried, which is quite alright."

There was a pause between us and I took a step forward. I grabbed his hand in both of mine. I looked up to him and said, "I...I wanted to say thank you. I already thanked Theon and Robb but have yet to thank you for helping me. I am forever grateful to you and I am honored to have someone like you in my life."

Jon blushed a cherry red and removed his hand from my grasp.

"I did as any man would do in that situation."

I giggled and leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Here you go, for your troubles." I handed him the knapsack that had one more meat pie in it as well as a couple of carrots and started to head out of the stables.

"Ophelia, wait!" I turned to see Jon jogging up to me me, clutching the bag. "The reason I was waiting for you was because Father and Lady Stark were searching for you. They said that if anyone sees you to tell you to go to them immediately in Lord Stark's Solar.

Oh no. They probably thought the same thing Jon had when I arrived with Theon. Or maybe they're worried why I was not in bed. The most plausible reason was them giving me a new work schedule to abide by.

I linked my arm in his and said, "Let's go. It seems like I have some explaining to do."

Jon looked away from me, looking a bit guilty, and said, "I think it may be the other way around."

I nodded even though I didn't know what he meant by that and we rushed into the castle to avoid the pouring rain.

We climbed up the stairs to the Solar and arrived at the empty corridor.

Jon unlinked his arm from mine and gave me a small smile. "Should you need me, I will be outside in the tilt yard."

"You're practicing, in this weather?" I said, laughing a bit.

Jon nodded. "Bad weather does not stop a brother of the Night's Watch and it can not stop me."

My laughter died down as I looked at Jon Snow.

And that's all I did, was look. I took in his curly dark hair and stoic face, and grey eyes.

He began to shift from one foot to another and said, "I think you need to stop delaying and speak to Father." He retreated down the stairs and I was left standing alone in a dim hall.

With a sigh, I knocked on Lord Stark's door.

"Come in." I heard a voice call. I twisted the doorknob and let myself in.

You know, the thing about conversations that change your life is that they rarely take place on some grand podium or with some eloquent speech. It usually happens in a room with somebody you love and you merely speak to one another, just as you always do.

So I opened the door to see My Lady standing next to Lord Stark, who was sitting down at his desk looking at several pieces of parchment, his face ridden with conflict, his hand rubbing the temple of his head.

My Lady looked up to see me and smiled, slight wrinkles crinklng around her eyes. She stepped around Lord Stark's desk and walked over to me, arms stretched out wide.

"Ophelia." She said in her usual caring voice, and she hugged me. I was still standing in the middle of the doorway and was holding onto the doorknob still.

I hugged her back and she held onto my shoulders, inspecting me. "Are you doing well today? I am sorry about not helping you this morning, but I had some things that needed attending to."

I awkwardly laughed a bit. "It's quite alright. I am doing well, so thank you for asking."

"I'm glad to hear." I beamed at her and she tucked a piece of stray hair behind my ears.

Lord Stark, who was watching the both of us, stopped rubbing his temple and gestured to the seat in front of his desk.

"Ophelia, please sit down ." His voice, though always serious, was grave.

I looked to My Lady, who nodded in agreement, and walked me over to the seat after shutting the door.

Despite the comforting nature of My Lady, my arm hairs started to raise and I had a knot forming in my stomach.

"Is there something wrong, My Lord?" I asked slowly with caution.

In a pause, Lord Stark and My Lady exchanged a glance. My Lady nodded at him.

He stood up and walked in front of me, sitting on the front edge of his desk as My Lady knelt down by my left side.

Lord Stark looked at me and said, "Your nameday is coming up."

I laughed in relief.

The Stark and the Tully gave me incredulous looks.

"I'm sorry for laughing. I thought I was in trouble for some reason, but I couldn't wrap my mind around if I had done anything wrong."

My Lady grabbed my left hand in her palms and tightly squeezed. Her Tully blue eyes met my dark crimson ones.

"You have done nothing wrong." The knot, that was slowly receding away, returned full force.

I tore my gaze away from her and back to Lord Stark.

"Alright. Yes, I do suppose my nameday is up and coming. Why do you ask?"

"I have something for you, an early birthday gift."

Lord Stark turned around slightly and produced a black velvet box and handed it over to me.

I was surprised, but graciously accepted it anyway.

"Oh! I was not expecting this.. thank you."

He gave me a small sad smile and waved his hand, signaling that I should open it.

I turned to My Lady who maintained the same comforting expression from earlier and nodded to me.

I opened the box to reveal a grand necklace, one of beauty that would not be seen on anyone from the North.

This necklace was obviously Southern.

The pearls that made up the chain were white and in between the space of each pearl, one could see bits of the golden chain that held them together. In the center of the necklace was a metal pendant that four pearls surrounding the jewel in the middle, one pearl on top, one pearl on the bottom, and two on each side. In the middle of the pendant was a red stone that I had never seen before. It was captivating in it's mysteriousness. On the bottom of the pendant were three rows of hanging pearls, each row containing two pearls.

This necklace was the most extravagant thing I had been given, even more than the red coat Theon had given me.

I touched the necklace for a second, but pulled my hand away. I was afraid that if I had felt it any longer it would shatter.

I shut the box and looked up at Lord Stark, who was analyzing how I was reacting to everything.

"I can't accept this...it's too extravagant, though I am grateful for being given this. Perhaps Lady Sansa would better appreciate a gift like this." I tried to give the box back to Lord Stark, but he would not take it.

"It is not for my daughter, it is for you." He stated firmly.

I put the box onto my lap and said, "Oh...alright."

"Do you know what stone that was in the middle?" asked Lord Stark.

I shook my head. "I can't say that I do."

He sighed. "It's called Eyefire. The stone cannot be mined in any place for it is created."

This peaked my curiosity. "A jewel being created? How so?"

"When Dragonglass is mixed the ashes of a reborn Phoenix and a dragon breathes fire onto it, it creates a stone, more valuable than all of the gold mines in Westeros." He answered.

I suddenly felt uneasy holding this box that contained the necklace. Laughing nervously I asked, "Why would you give Eyefire to me?"

A moment's hesitation passed before Lord Stark started to speak.

"Years ago, Targaryens would wear jewelry made of Eyefire. It was sign of status and wealth. No one in the Seven Kingdom's could even afford a sliver of Eyefire, not even nobles as wealthy as the Lannisters. However, the Targaryen's could not make Eyefire without the help of another house...House Pyralis."

I recognized the name. "House Pyralis?" I looked at My Lady then back to Lord Stark. "House Pyralis, as in that story from last night? The one about Nuri and Aegon."

"Yes that Pyralis, Little Bird." answered My Lady.

Lord Stark went on. "When the dragon's died three hundred years ago, so did the production of Eyefire, which made it all the more valuable. Yet, neither the Targaryen's nor the Pyralis' would give up their stones. The stone was so much more than a show of status, it was a sign of love and friendship between the Dragon and the Phoenix. Near the end of Robert's Rebellion, King Robert had House Pyralis slaughtered. With the killings, he gave the Pyralis' home of Highgarden to House Tyrell and had any reminder of the Phoenix destroyed, including Eyefire. This necklace is perhaps the only one of it's kind in existence."

I furrowed my eyebrows at his story. "Was House Pyralis a Great House?" I asked Lord Stark.

"Yes...they were once rulers of the Reach and Wardens of the South."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and let go of it. Why was he telling me all of this? What did this have to do with me holding a piece of expensive jewelry?

"Lord Stark, if these people were so elevated, why have I never heard of them before, other than last night? Surely, I would've heard about them in history lessons. What does this have to do with me receiving Eyefire as a gift?"

"It was the King's order."

I titled my head to the side and felt my left hand being held once again by My Lady.

"It was the King's order...to give me Eyefire?" I asked in confusion. Why would the King care about a serving girl? Why would he give her Eyefire? This made no sense to me.

"No, it was the King's order to keep you from knowing about your heritage until your sixteenth nameday. This is why some days you were allowed to not attend history lessons, to prevent you from knowing. The older servants were under my orders not to inform you of anything regarding House Pyralis."

My breath got caught in my throat. My eyes widened slightly and darted between the two Starks.

"My...heritage?!" I squeaked out. My heart started to race and it felt like my dress was constricting me all of a sudden. No...Lord Stark couldn't mean...

"You are not just some girl that Lady Stark found outside the gates of Winterfell. You were born inside these walls. Eyefire belongs to a Dragon or a Phoenix, thus it rightfully belongs to you. This necklace is one of the few things that remains of your parents...Ophelia, you are the daughter of Rowtag and Seraphine Pyralis."

The room started to tilt around me. I shot out of my seat, ripping my hand from My Lady's and held onto the chair. The box containing the necklace fell to the ground creating a loud clattering sound. My stomach felt queasy and was sloshing around inside of me. I started to sweat profusely.

I shook my head rapidly. "No, no, no..." I denied. It couldn't be true.

"Little Bird, everything will be-"

"NO! DO NOT TOUCH ME!" I yelled. I clutched my stomach and backed away from the Starks.

They stared at me, perhaps they were expecting this reaction. I certainly wasn't. How could one predict their own reaction if they were unaware they their world was going to be flipped upside down.

"YOU LIED TO ME!" I started to hyperventilate. I could barely breathe. I was drowning without ever setting foot in a body of water. I had to be dreaming...this couldn't be real.

My Lady looked at me, her Tully blue eyes becoming even more blue as they watered up with tears.

"Ophelia, we did what we could to protect you. We had to lie."

"You told me you found me when I was a child, so forgive me if I'm not exactly happy that you kept something like this from me throughout my life." I snapped in a sarcastic tone. I never spoke to her like this before. Nevertheless, I continued. "If I am who you say I am, why did you send me to work?"

"To teach you humility." answered Lord Stark, stood next to his wife putting his arms around her. "I thought you would be more protected if you started to work, but after what happened in Wintertown..." His voice, which was beginning to get thick, trailed off. "It made me realize that even as servant, you'd still be in danger from people."

"Humility?! I am not humble. I do what I am told because YOU asked me to! I loved the both of you and you betrayed me!" My voice was hoarse and hot tears made paths down my face. I held my stomach tightly in attempt to settle the uneasiness in it.

My Lady removed herself from her husband and took a step towards me. "Little Bird, I would never betray you. I loved your mother as if she were my own sister and you are her only child..." She started to cry and Lord Stark stepped up to her, holding her once again.

Her treatment of me...it all made sense now. She wouldn't be this way with any other girl, otherwise Katherine and Emily would be doted upon by her. She loved me because of her love for my mother...wait my mother...my parents...

"What of my parents?" I demanded. "Where are my parents? Do they know about me, are they alive, or did they not care about me?!"

My Lady shook her head. "No! Your mother loved you so much. She couldn't wait to meet you."

"WHERE IS SHE?!" I screamed.

"Her death, and your father's, is my own fault." Lord Stark stated abruptly.

I felt the breath being punched out of me.

Lord Stark, someone who looked out for me as if I was one of his own was the reason I had no family...

"No..." I was hiccuping and sobbing now. "Please tell me it's not true..." I pleaded looking at him.

Lord Stark, a man of high honor, actually looked down in shame. "Forgive me, Ophelia."

I backed away from them and bumped into the door, my barely healed back yelling at me to be more careful.

The room was growing smaller and smaller. I needed to leave.

My hand felt the door behind me, turned the knob, and opened the door

I ran out into the hall only to see all five of the Stark children, plus Theon, outside the Solar. Robb and Theon were leaning against the opposing walls of the hall. Theon was biting his thumb in worry and Robb had his hands crossed in front of his chest, looking at the floor. Sansa was sitting in a chair by the window, looking unbothered, embroidering a handkerchief. Little Rickon was sitting on the arm of her chair looking sleepy, while Arya and Bran were sitting on the floor, throwing bits of whatever they could find at each other.

All looked up when I ran out of the Solar.

"Ophelia, I just heard the news...are you alright?" asked Theon, who came over to me.

I shook my head.

"You would have been told last night, had you not gone to bed so early." replied Sansa without looking up.

"You all knew?" I asked them, breathing heavily.

"After supper, Father called a meeting among everyone in the castle. He informed all who were in attendance of your heritage and politely asked they not say anything until him and Mother spoke to you about it first. He also informed us that you would no longer be working amongst the servants." replied Robb, who uncrossed his arms and came a bit closer.

I felt dizzy and like someone was choking me.

The walls of the corridor were growing closer and closer together.

"No...I need to leave..." I turned heel and ran down the stairs faster than I ever had. I could hear my name being called but I didn't care. I ran in the rain and mud until I reached my destination: the stables. Throwing open the door to the stables, I went to the first horse I could find.

"Don't run." A voice said.

I screamed and looked behind me to see a soaking wet Jon Snow.

I shook my head as I walked to the side of the horse. He bounded over to me and grabbed my shoulders roughly, and held me.

I started to sob.

"They lied...they lied..." Was all I could say.

He put his chin on the top of my head and held me to his chest. "I know. But you need to face this head on, you cannot run away."

Suddenly the feeling came back. The feeling of suffocation. I wiggled and shoved him back.

"I don't think facing this will help...I need to go."

He grabbed my hand and said, "Ophelia, don't leave! Please...I don't know what you must be going through, but-"

I whipped back to him and wretched my hand from his grasp. I glared at him. Jon, even though he was trying to help, faced the full might of my present anger.

"THAT'S RIGHT...YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I FEEL. I JUST FOUND OUT THAT EVERYTHING ABOUT MYSELF HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A LIE. YOUR OWN FATHER IS THE REASON MY FATHER AND MOTHER ARE DEAD...YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND MY PAIN BECAUSE YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A FUCKING BASTARD!"

I covered my mouth as soon as I had said it.

Never in my life, have I ever called Jon Snow a bastard despite that being what he was.

The rage, that was burning white hot through my bones, was immediately doused as I saw the slack-jawed look on his face as he staggered back, as if I had just struck him across the face. Jon stood frozen.

"Jon..I..please understand..." I reached out to him but he dodged me, like I was something evil. And the way he looked at me...I hadn't seen him like that since we were children. His face was contorted from the shock of me screaming at him.

"Jon...I have to go." Without the saddle, I struggled to get on the horse but eventually mounted it. I sat on it's back and grabbed it's hair as way to improvise reins. I made it go forward and I left a frozen Jon, my friend who was only trying to help, still standing as frozen as a stone in the stables.

I trotted the horse to the Hunter's Gate and went through it after the guards opened it for me

I needed to be away from the walls of Winterfell and how they seemed to close around me. I raced into the woods, with the rain pelting me, and rode for several hours.

I needed to get away.

 **Aanyways, there you have it! Please review, it honestly makes my day seeing them. I love seeing your thoughts and what you think about the story, ships, character interactions, etc.,ect.,ext., Next chapter-Ophelia makes a new friend and the aftermath of the Reveal. If we could get this up to 34 reviews, that would make my day! Please read, review, and rest easy! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks to all those who reviewed! Seeing a review makes my day and it honestly makes the sun shine brighter, the flowers smell more beautiful, and grass feel softer. I highly suggest listening to Magic Fantasy Music-The Last of Her Kind, as I kind of played it on repeat while writing this chapter.**

 **Anyways, let's get on with the story!**

1st P.O.V Wolfswood-Winterfell

Betrayal.

Sadness.

Anger.

Hopelessness.

All my dark emotions seeped into me, just as the rain was seeping through my clothes.

I should've been happy. Any normal, mentally right person would be happy in finding out who they are and while a part of me always wanted to know, I was angry. I knew it wasn't My Lady's fault nor Lord Stark's, but still...

I held onto the horse's hair tightly as it jumped over a high risen outgrown tree root. I felt like running to the end of the earth and never looking back.

Out of all these emotions, fear was the most prevalent.

What would my life entail, now that I was some noblewoman?

I scoffed bitterly at the thought. Noblewoman? Barely. My family had apparently been slaughtered. Their title taken away. No more riches, no more glory, no more Eyefire. As far as I was concerned, I was still somewhat an outsider. Both within and without, but even more so now. And if the King had my family killed, where was I in the scheme of things? What was my role to play? I didn't know exactly what I was before today, but I at least had a feel of it. Now. I am as clueless as Hodor. I no longer felt like I had a place, I was drifting without any direction of where I was going.

This change, something that I detest, made me sick to my stomach.

I pulled on the horse's hair to stop, and got off of it.

I staggered over to the nearest tree and held my stomach, and leaned against it.

Why me?

First I find out my favorite dress was thrown out. Then, I find out Robb didn't try to find that spice merchant because he wanted to (though this wasn't as much as a shock as it was disappointing). Next I get let go. Then, Jon thinks I had sex with Theon, though he did apologize for jumping to that conclusion. Following that encounter, I am told the biggest news of my life, AFTER everyone else (with the exception of Theon, who was busy with Emily) is told about it. And on top of all of this, I called my friend...an unmentionably foul name.

The last one was gut-wrenching it its own way.

I couldn't help myself when I threw up what little I had eaten. At least the rain washed it away...too bad it could not do the same for this horrid day.

Today was the worst day of my life, by far.

Worse than me nearly drowning at White Harbor.

Worse than when I spent my first night in the servants' quarters.

Even worse than my whipping.

Wiping my mouth, I rubbed some of my wet, sticky hair from my forehead and walked back to the horse. I had difficulty mounting the back of it, but I eventually succeeded.

I went on my way again.

Jon, as usual, was right. I should not have run. I should've talked it out, but I honestly couldn't think. I felt like the walls of Winterfell were slowly closing in on me, and because of me running off, I was halfway to the Wall.

Yet...I still needed time to think.

I don't think it was unreasonable of me to get some time away to clear my head.

"WOAH!"

The horse whinnied to a stop and I nearly fell off as I saw what I was about to run into.

A young woman, who was carrying a glass lantern stood in the path up ahead.

She was wet, like me, but not as drenching. Unlike me, she had a thick cloak and hood on. Her hair looked dark in the dim light of the fast approaching evening, and her brown eyes were like a doe's and were as wistful as a willow. She was small, a petite person who was tinier than my own stature.

"Are you, alright?" I called out to her.

She nodded.

"Are you in need of any help?" I asked, my voice loud so she could hear me over the heavy raindrops.

She shook her head.

My annoyance was settling in. If she did not need help and if she was not going to attack me then she should be on her way. I had to ride out my problems before they caught up to me.

"Do you speak?" I asked impatiently.

"What are you doing out in the rain?" Her voice called out. She sounded like a small set of delicate bells, unique ones that were rarely used.

"I'm escaping." I answered truthfully.

She raised a curious eyebrow at me.

"From what are you escaping?"

"Life." I stated bluntly.

Her lips tugged slightly upwards.

"I do not have an escape for life, but I do have one for this weather. You are welcome to stay at my house until this rain subsides."

I thought of my options. I could keep riding, and risk getting a cold while wallowing in my own self pity.

Or I could take up this stranger on her offer and dry off, while also wallowing in my own self pity.

"Where do you live?" I asked as I rode up next to her.

"Only a stone's throw way towards the north." I extended my hand to her and she took it. I pulled her up to me and she directed me to her house.

We arrived to her place and got down off the horse. She went to a makeshift stable and clicked her tounge. The horse immediately trotted over to her and laid in the dry stable filled with hay. After closing the gate to the stable, she came over to the front door, got out a key, unlocked the padlock, and opened the door to reveal a warm cozy room.

She ushered me in and closed the door behind us. My body started to tingle from being defrosted and I sighed on relief as I went over to the fireplace, holding out my hands to get some feeling back in them

The woman shook her cloak of any excess water and hung it up on a rack. She came to the fireplace and removed a hanging kettle from above the fire. She got a tray with two cups on it and poured the water in the cups. After doing so, she put some loose tea in it. She handed me a cup and went to a cupboard where she took out a big, wool blanket and said, "Remove your dress, unless you would care to get sick."

Nodding, I set down my cup on the floor and untied my apron. I took it off and handed it to her, and I untied my dress, handing it over as well. I was in my nightgown now, since I put my dress over it this morning. It was damp, but not as wet as my other pieces of clothes. I stepped on the heels of my shoes and got them off, which she bent down and put on top of my clothes. She handed me the blanket and I sat by the fire, bundled up and drinking chamomile tea.

She hung up my clothes on a clothesline that rang across her ceiling and she joined me on the floor by the fire, sipping on her own tea.

It was silent until she asked, "What do they call you?"

"Ophelia." I replied. "And you?"

"Feenie." She answered back, smiling into her cup as if she were laughing at some inside joke.

I was able to study Feenie better in the glow of the fire. She had short hair that was shoulder in length. She wasn't as young as I had originally thought, her wrinkles under her eyes and the laughlines on the sides of her nose were deep and prominent. She was skinny, skinnier than me, and had long, bony hands.

"Why were you out in this weather?" Feenie asked suddenly, startling me from my inner observations.

"Oh..." I looked into my cup, gazing at the pale yellow of the tea and gripped tightly. "I umm..." I sighed in defeat. "I found out some stuff about myself that I'm not sure that I was ready to hear...I'm not sure I'll ever be able to confront the facts that have been given to me." I felt the tears welling up in my eyes and I quickly rubbed them away. I sniffed and glanced over at Freebie, who looked at me with sympathy and pity.

"The world is often harsh, putting us in difficult situations before we're ready." She gestured outside towards her window as an example. "But if you do not know how to withstand a little rain, there is no way you can survive a storm. You must learn to weather the path that has been presented to you, for if you do not, you will surely drown."

I perked up in surprise upon hearing this. "That is exactly how I felt after I was told this news! I felt like I was drowning...I felt like pieces of me were dying from being overwhelmed."

She patted my knee and said, "Take some advice from an older woman, whose had many heart aches and troubles: sometimes you have to die a little, in order to be reborn as a wiser and stronger version of yourself."

Feenie sipped her tea as she stood up and walked to a tapestry hanging on a wall. She pulled it aside to reveal a small, padded knook built into the wall. Feenie smiled at me and went over to her bed, which was right by the entrance and took a plump pillow from it. She placed it on the knook and waved me over. I pulled the blanket to my body as she had my lay down on the seat.

"You'll sleep here for tonight."

I opened my mouth to protest but she held up her hand to silence me.

"I'll not have a young girl like you gallavanting off Gods-know-where in the dead of night where you can be attacked by Wildlings or animals or any other dangerous being. You will stay here and that is all I will hear of it."

I nodded. "You didn't have to let me stay. Thank you, nevertheless."

She smiled at me and sat at the end of the look, where my feet were at. Her eyes grew distant and her face turned sad.

"You remind me of my daughter. She died when she was only eight, and it nearly tore her father and me to bits. She looked similar to you, but I never did get to see how beautiful she might've become had she lived to womanhood."

Feenie gave me a tight smile and placed her hand on mine.

"You were married?" I asked quietly.

She nodded. "My husband was a fine man. Gentle, yet strong. Stubborn, but loyal. Naive, yet intelligent. He was the love of my life." She wiped a tear from her eye and smiled at fond memories.

I clasped her hand tightly in comfort, something reminiscent to what My Lady does.

"Are you betrothed?" She asked.

I shook my head.

"It'll only be a matter of time. You will be soon." Feenie's words were playful but something in me became apprehensive at what seemed to be their ominous undertone warning.

"I don't think so...but that's kind of you to say."

She cocked her head to the side and smirked. "A beautiful girl like you should have a husband."

I looked down in despair.

I felt Feenie stroke my cheek with her other hand. "What ever is the matter, my dear?"

A tear drop fell onto the blanket and I sniffed. "No man will want me. I have too many scars, now. I am nobody."

Feenie grasped my chin and made me look her in the eyes. "You are not nobody, and I am sure you never have been. You are only nobody if you give yourself permission to be no one."

"But-" I tried to interject.

Feenie shot me a stern look. "I will repeat this one last time: You. Are. Not. A. Nobody."

She leaned away from me and removed her hand from mine.

Suddenly, I started to feel sleepy as soon as she let go of my hand.

The room began to blur and I looked at the woman who was watching me fall asleep.

"Feenie?" I asked slowly as blackness had me drifting in and out.

"Yes, Ophelia?"

"Is Feenie your real name?" It was a question that had been edging at the back of my mind since she told me it. And by her reaction earlier when she told me her name, I'm guessing that she lied to me.

"No." She answered truthfully.

"Well then, what is it?" My words began to slur together.

Feenie came closer and whispered in my ear, "Seraphina."

She kissed my cheek and I fell asleep, too tired to process the shock of who I encountered.

-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-

I woke up the next morning only to find myself in a rundown hovel.

The wood that held the structure up was either rotted or covered in moss. The wooden floor was now dirt. There was no bed, trinkets, dishes, or anything that signified somebody had been living here. This place was abandoned. When I woke up, I was dry and wearing my apron, gown, and flats. I was lying down where a reading knook used to be, but was now decayed into only stone and moss.

None of this explained how the fireplace still had a fire roaring in it, or how I had a pillow under my head and a wool blanket on top of me.

I slowly sat up and rubbed my eyes to correct my vision. It was a dream. I probably dreamed of this place and what it probably used to look like.

Maybe I came here last night and started a fire.

But where did the pillow and blanket come from?

I was spooked. I wrapped myself in the blanket and went to the entrance, where a door had once been but has long since been missing from the hinges. I exited outside, where it was raining but not as heavily as yesterday.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I undid the stings on the undersides of my sleeves and used them to tie the blanket, creating a makeshift cloak. Satisfied with my work, I went to where the stables used to be but to my disappointment the stables and my horse were gone.

It probably ran off in fright durng the storm last night.

I groaned in exasperation.

Why couldn't anything go my way?

I took a step back and examined this condemned Hovel-in-the-Hill. I decided that if something or someone wanted to kill me, well why not? Dying wouldn't be the worst option for me.

My mind went back to the woman from last night.

Or was it a dream? I was not really sure.

Seraphina...I wonder if that meant...

I scoffed out loud. I believed in many things, but not ghosts. I knew that whatever happened last night a result of the cold and rain, and the fire, pillow, and blanket were the result of a do-gooder, who probably happened upon my sleeping form and took pity on me. Maybe I did have a conversation with someone, but my tired brain must've addled it to think it was something else.

I went back inside and sat by the fire all morning long as I contemplated about the news I was given the day before.

Things would never be the same again. I would no longer be just Ophelia. I am now Ophelia, daughter of Seropian and Rowan or whatever their names were. I didn't know. I was given a new identity without any regard to my old one.

By the middle of the day, the fire died down and I stood up, ready to venture out.

I didn't know where I was going, but I could not go back to Winterfell. Not yet. I needed more time to figure everything out.

I was no longer as angry as I was yesterday, but the conflict of my situation made me pensive and I needed room to sort out my thoughts.

I walked aimlessly through the forest, deciding to pick some blackberries if I became hungry or to drink the water from the river If I became thirsty.

Who am I?

I know that I can't be a noblewoman without knowing who I am in the inside. The foundation of who I am was cracked.

Or was it?

The real question begged to differ: who was I?

I racked my brain while laying up on a tree branch, popping blackberries into my mouth, unbothered by my now soaking wet clothes.

What makes a person?

I thought hard about myself, trying to find some things about me that were because they were innately things that I loved.

I like honey in my tea.

I have never kissed a boy.

I love my flowers wild.

I love rest after a hard days work.

I cry too much.

I am also too stubborn for my own good.

I believe in the powers of the Old Gods with all my heart.

I am way to gullible.

I have an affinity for all things sweet.

I love the Starks, even if I am mad at Lord Stark and My Lady for never telling me about my family.

These things define me, but a title does not.

If I can hold onto to these little bits of self-truth to my heart, I can withstand anything.

I am who I am.

I am not a Lady, not a servant, not a ward, not an orphan.

These jobs and names can fade away, but I will always be Ophelia. No one can take that away from me.

I sat up with a renewed determination.

This was my way to withstand the storm.

Feenie was right.

I realized my biggest fear above all else, was that I was afraid I would lose who I am because I am a Pyralis.

But I am not going to let this define me. Not now, not ever. The Pyralis family name be damned. Why should I care for a family who I have never known? Why worry about the stupid choices they made to get themselves killed? I am still here and they are not. Let the past stay exactly that: the past. What use is to worry about the lives of dead family members? It has no effect on me. I may be a Pyralis by the blood of my ancestors, but my lineage will not have a say in my future.

Theon told me that I could go anywhere, be anything. Even though I do care for him, I refuse to be put in his situation- a ward in a glass prison.

I decided right then and there I wanted no part of my so-called family.

I am the master of myself.

This presented another question: did I want to go back to Winterfell?

I loved My Lady, but I couldn't bear to look at her right now. She obviously knew my mother, and it's only because of her love for my mother that she loves me. So in reality, she doesn't love me, she loves my mother. That, and she lied about finding me as a baby. This brings us to Lord Stark. He killed my parents...so why would I want to go back to the home of a murderer? He sent me to work to 'teach me humility'. Bad choice on his part, as it resulted in a whipping.

However, if I wanted no part in who my family was, why did the knowledge that Lord Stark killed my parents disturb me so?

Perhaps it was because after all these years of growing up in Winterfell, alongside Jon and Robb, all these years serving him and his family, all these years of being accepted like I _was_ family, he managed to look me in the eye like nothing was wrong.

That probably explained why he always asked about my happiness when seeing me wearing my apron, though.

After eating my last blackberry, I smacked my hands together in an attempt to rid myself of the stickiness from the berries.

My purple stained hands were starting to bother me. I tried rubbing the bottom side of the branch I was on, but due to my lack of balance, I ended up falling out of the tree and into the mud.

The mud splattered every and made the front side of my dress all dirty.

"Really?!" I asked, looking up to the sky.

What was it with me and my luck lately? I picked my self up and tried to fling excess mud from my person.

" _Eep!"_

I stopped flinging the mud everywhere.

Hmm...I thought I just heard a...

 _"Eep-Eep!"_

Furrowing my eyebrows, I looked around me to see where that noise was coming from.

Getting back down on the wet ground, I searched on my hands and knees until I found the source of the noise.

I gasped in shock at myself and my own clumsiness.

Below the branch that was next to mine, was a baby bird, pink and shivering. It was chirping at me.

I cooed as I picked up the fluffy little chick.

"Hello, Little Bird. Did I knock you down?" I asked, as if the bird would magically start speaking to me.

It puffed up it's fluff and looked at me with wide eyes.

Realizing that my hands were muddy, I held the chick in one hand as I wiped it on the bark to get clean and switched the chick to my clean hand as I wiped off the other one.

I looked back up at the tree.

"Huh. I did not see a nest up there. Regardless, you're coming with me. I'm sure your mother won't want you now that you have human scent all over yourself."

The bird merely chirped at my and tucked itself into my cupped palms to regain body heat.

I looked down at the bird and looked up, towards the North.

"I don't know where we're going, but definitely not back to Winterfell."

 _"Eep!"_

I nodded in response. "I know, Little Bird. I always wanted to see the Wall too. Perhaps we'll go there first on our Adventure of Ophelia and Birdy."

 _"Eep-Eep!"_

I sighed and looked ahead.

I am talking to a bird. And not even a grown bird, a baby bird! This is what my life has become.

"Well, let's make our way to the Wall."

I started to trek forward in the rain, holding the baby chick close to my chest, doing my best to keep it dry.

After about four hours of walking, I sat down at the base of a tree.

I looked at my fluffy little companion.

"Perhaps after visiting the Wall, we can go to the Summer Isles? Jon and I once-"

I stopped myself in the middle of my sentence. My companion looked at me in confusion. Or so I thought.

"Little Bird," I uttered softly, stroking it's head with my finger, "if I leave...if I truly run away, I'll never be able to apologize to Jon...will I?"

 _"Eep-Eep!"_

"I suppose you're right. It was very horrid of me to call him that. And if I left, I would never see Robb or Theon again."

My chest constricted as I looked at the bird.

"I've made a real mess of things, haven't I?"

 _"Eep!"_

"I don't know what to do. What do you think I should do?

"Come back home. "

The sudden voice startled me and I screamed out loudly.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" The chick started to chirp madly, hopping around in my palms, trying to see what was going on.

I looked to my left to see a pair of boots. My eyes trailed up and saw a dripping Robb Stark, in a heavy cloak with a sword strapped to his side. He was dripping wet from the rain, and upon looking at him, he walked over to stand in front of me.

"Wh-what...Robb? What are you doing here?"

I didn't hear his horse or him. I looked behind him. There was no horse. So, it was just him.

He gave me a stern stare and said, "Do you have any idea the hell you've put us through trying to find you?!"

I shook my head rapidly. The shock from seeing him has yet to subside.

How did he manage to find me, especially this far North?

"Father is going mad! Half of Wintertown and nearly all of the House Guard are out there searching for you as we speak. The Manderlys, Boltons, Umbers, Karstarks, and Mormonts were sent ravens to keep an eye out for you! Father even sent a raven to the Night's Watch. I've been riding up here with Father and Jon for nearly two days trying to find you! Theon is at Wintefell coordinating the search party from there, Mother hasn't slept once from all of the worry, and Maester Luwin is preparing every remedy known to man, in the case that you've been hurt!"

Robb bent down to my eye level and gripped my shoulders tightly. His Tully blue eyes connected with mine, locked in an intense stare and asked me in a low voice, "What were you thinking, Ophelia?"

I burst into tears.

My floodgate of emotions opened once more, but this time I had an enormous difficulty keeping them in check.

Still cupping my fluffy little companion, who had long since calmed down, I put my head on Robb's shoulder and started to cry. He stiffened, but slowly relaxed.

"It was the only thing I could think of! I felt like I was drowning...I needed to get away. I can't go back ..not after..." I didn't finish because Robb put his arms around me.

"'I know this must be difficult for you...and I can only imagine the amount of hurt you must be feeling...but 'Felia...this isn't the way you solve your problems. It only creates more of a difficult situation."

Robb put his finger under my chin and I looked at him. He put his forehead to mine and closed his eyes.

"Come back home." He pleaded softly. "I don't want to have to worry about you again...please just, come back home and we'll figure all of this out together."

It was the first time in years since I heard him say anything like this to me. He was very sincere.

"You...worry about me?" I asked him softly.

"I never stopped worrying about you." He replied, opening his eyes again.

"Do you really want me to come back?"

"Everyone does." I wiped my eyes and slowly nodded. Robb helped me stand up and we walked to his horse which was about five minutes away from the tree.

It was silent until...

"Jon told me what happened."

I looked down in shame.

" I know that he is a bastard...but I never called him one before."

"I think you were just upset and he caught the brunt of your anger."

"He didn't deserve it though..."

"Aye. He didn't deserve it." It became awkwardly silent for the remainder of our rode back to Winterfell. We didn't arrive until the sky barely became dark.

Upon arriving, Robb handed the reins of his horse to a stable boy and he brought me back to the room I was staying in.

There was a tub in the corner filled with hot water.

"I took the liberty having them make sure some hot water was ready, at a moment's notice." Said Robb. He was standing in the doorway.

"I'm going out to alert Father and Jon of your return."

I slowly nodded.

It was silent until, "I'll see you tomorrow." He turned around and left. I went to the door, shutting and locking it. I looked at my fluffy companion, who Robb put in a small bag for me, and set them down on my bed. It hopped onto a pillow and nestled itself in the cushion.

I smiled at it and stripped down from my clothes, closing my eyes at the wonder that was the bath. It was so nice and warm, I nearly fell asleep.

The fire in the room was roaring and I revelled in the heat.

After the water became cold, I got out and dried myself with a towel. Noticing that my clothes were wet, I went to the draws to find what little possessions I owned were stored in there. I grabbed my brown robe and tied it around my waist.

I laid down in bed and fell asleep.

I would deal with everyone tomorrow.

 **So, here's my new chapter! I really wanted to convey the swirl of conflicted emotions that's going through Ophelia's mind at the moment, as well as her desire to run away from her problems, which we all know doesn't help. I also put in a moment between Robb and Ophelia, the first step towards healing their fractured relationship. And I gave her a new friend, whose name will be revealed in the next chapter! So, please tell me your thoughts about this chapter! If we could get this story up to 38 reviews, that would make my day! I love seeing your reactions to each chapter! Next chapter, Ophelia and Jon have a 'talk' , Theon pays Ophelia a visit, and Little Bird gets a name.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Heh-heh. This chapter will have...an important moment to the story. Don't wake the dragon, that's all I'm going to say. Thank you to all those who reviewed it makes my day! It gives me inspiration to write, and honestly, my life is such a mess at the moment that this story, my readers, and your reviews help me through these dark times. :)**

 **I highly suggest listening to Name-By the Goo-Goo Dolls. It definitely fits the tone for this chapter.**

I woke up in the early morning in a bed.

Not at the Wall or Mole's Town, but at Winterfell.

A part of me regretted coming back, but whenever I thought about Robb Stark and his pleading voice with his big Tully blue eyes, I knew I couldn't say no.

Hopefully, some good will come out of this. I had hoped that my return to the castle from my short hiatus away meant Robb and I could have a fresh start. If I was willing to let the past be the past with the Pyralis family, I should be willing to do the same with Robb and I.

It was stupid, us not being friends because of what happened as children.

I loved Nova. I loved her very much.

But I now realized that she wasn't worth the heartache and regret of the years lost between Robb and I, when we could've been together as friends.

And whatever chance I had of leaving and going off to explore the world left the moment I set foot back here in Winterfell.

I rolled to my side to see my little puffball of a companion sound asleep on the pillow next to me. Its little breaths were puffing it out into a bigger ball, then it would deflate, then it would do it again. The chick was so cute I wanted to squeeze it and squeeze it and love it some more.

I stroked it's sleeping head to ease my inward gushing towards my companion.

"Now, what's a good name for you?" I muttered to myself, "I can't keep calling you Little Bird. Soon you'll grow and you will need a proper name." I scratched the top of it's head lightly. "Don't worry," I assured the sleeping chick, "I'll think of the best name for you."

I looked at the unusually bright pink of it's fluff.

"What kind of bird are you?" I asked it.

Perhaps it was a sparrow or a maybe a robin?

I thought about the one person who knew the North better than anyone, but I didn't want to speak to him about Little Bird...at least not yet.

I studied it further.

"Are you a boy or a girl? I should probably just give you a name that can go either way...if there is such a name like that."

I started to think up of names that would fit this cute little animal.

Grace? No, too bleh.

Tobias? No, too hideous.

Aegon? No, too Targaryen.

Loran? No, too common.

Lyllal? No, too...everything!

I groaned in frustration, but I knew their name would come to me eventually. Trying to come up with a name for Little Bird made me think of my own name, and the new surname I was told that now comes with it.

I rolled back on my other side and thought about the past events that has occurred within the last several days.

Ophelia Pyralis. Ophelia Pyralis. Ophelia Pyralis.

I repeated my surname in my head like a sacred mantra, unused to how foreign it sounded to me. Even speaking it out loud left a bitter aftertaste on my tounge and was difficult to say, like trying to talk with a stick in your mouth. I know, Pyralis is an easy name to pronounce...but it was difficult for me to even so much as utter it. Throughout my entire life, I was always Ophelia. Now I have a last name to go with my first.

I thought about what I did know about the Pyralis family.

They were slaves once, then they weren't.

I snorted at the bitter irony of me working as a servant.

The married each other, then they married the Targaryens.

Who could kiss their relative, let alone think about marrying them? How were they attracted to people they shared blood with? This disturbed and disgusted me endlessly.

One Pyralis, the servant Nuri, was killed by the flames of a dragon, yet he had risen again.

I rolled my eyes at that one. It's been known that history gets mixed up over time and details become more and more fabricated. Obviously, this was not the truth.

And what of my parents?

Unfurling myself from my blankets, I sat up and thought about the people that were the reason for my existence.

What reason did Lord Stark have for killing them?

Hatred?

Revenge?

Was he bored and just thought, "I'm going to go murder some people today!'?

Did he dislike my father for some reason? Was he jealous that my mother married my father? Did they owe House Stark an enormous debt? Did they do something to earn the wrath of the Starks?

Obviously, if they are dead.

Did Lord Stark, even after having a hand in raising me, hate me?

Was him raising me in the ways of the North Lord Stark's form of ultimate revenge against my parents?

Was he even seeking revenge?

Why did he kill them?

One question burned through my mind above all others, a question I was afraid to utter out loud: How did Lord Stark kill my parents? It was a question I did not want to know the answer to, but couldn't help but think about.

And My Lady, she said she loved my mother as a sister. If they were so close, why did she allow her husband to kill her friend?

How close were they? How did they know each other?

Ugh! Why was I thinking about this? I mentally slapped myself.

I had sworn to stay away from anything regarding my so-called 'family' and that is what I intended to do.

My stomach growled. I clutched my rumbling tummy and got out of bed. I walked to the window to see if any of the servants were still out and about. Barely anyone was walking, just some of the House Guard.

This meant that Lord Stark, Robb, and Jon had returned.

I twisted my hair into a bun and went to the door. I unlatched and opened it, making sure to look around if anyone was out there.

I know that being back meant I would face people sooner or later, but I would rather it be later. I was doing my best to avoid people for as long as possible. It was fortunate that I woke up this early. Not even the cook was up yet.

I went into the hall and closed my door, making sure to do it gently so no one would hear me.

Aside from the more obvious reasons of me avoiding people, I was still only wearing my ankle length brown robe, with nothing underneath.

Why did I have to dirty my nightgown?!

I hit myself on the forehead at my stupidity of wearing it under my gown. Usually, I don't wear anything, this includes a shift and stays, but I felt like it would be less painful for my back if I was more covered.

I rubbed my left shoulder, trying to reach my back.

I haven't changed my bandages since the day before yesterday, and if I don't do it soon my cuts will become infected with pus.

On the bright side, I did take a bath last night to get clean, so that could delay any infection for a little while. I still needed to put on my bandages though.

I made a mental note to do that after getting some food.

Perhaps later on I could pay Maester Luwin a visit to help me with them.

I didn't want to confront My Lady just yet.

I padded downstairs to the kitchens, barefoot I might add, avoiding the routes which had the most probability of me running into someone.

I arrived to the kitchens, which were dark, with the exception of the soft yellow glow from the fire in the open air oven. I went over to put a log in, something I did out of kindness so the cook would not have to worry about re-kindling the fire, like he had done a couple days ago. After doing so I made my way to the cupboard where the dried jerky was, only to find it empty.

"Damn." I muttered to myself.

Sscratching my head, I turned around and my eyes went wide.

On a stool eating the rest of the jerky and some fruit, sat an observant Jon Snow. He was watching me as he stuffed some jerky into his cheeks.

I felt myself freeze as I stared at him.

My knees felt like jelly and my stomach was doing twists and turns, resulting in my breathing becoming sharp and ragged. My first instinct was to flee, but I planted my feet firmly on the ground.

Jon took another bite of the jerky, watching me with a blank expression on his face.

I cleared my throat.

"Ahem...do you umm...do you have anymore of that?" I asked, fiddling with the sides of my robe.

He swallowed what was in his mouth, nodded, and held out the bowl of jerky.

"Did you just get back?" I asked quietly.

Another nod.

"You must be hungry." I tried to tease.

No reaction this time. No nod. No words.

The silence I was being subjected to made me anxious. The blank expression on Jon's face didn't help either.

'Say something!', I internally screamed at him, 'Yell at me, shake me! Do something other than this, please!'

I took a step closer to him. My hand was outreaching to the meat, when on a fleeting instinct I pushed his outstretched arm aside.

If he wasn't going to talk to me, then I would have to talk to him.

There was no running away from this situation.

I had to make peace with my friend.

I shook my head and walked until I was directly in front of him, his head at the level of my chest, but his Stark grey eyes firmly on my face.

"Jon," I whispered quietly, "I am so sorry. I should have never said that to you. Not once have I ever thought of you as low because you're a bastard."

His face looked hurt again and he immediately stood up. Jon started to walk out of the kitchens. As he was making his exit, he put the bowl of jerky on a counter near the entrance of the kitchen.

Perhaps that was wrong thing to say.

"Wait!" I called after him. I turned my body to fully face his back and I saw that he did stop.

I tried again.

"Please Jon. I apologize, for everything! I know that you were hurt by what I said, and I hurt myself just by uttering those stupid words. But I care about you, Jon! Can't you see that?"

I saw his back stiffen from my words and I continued.

"When we were children, every time you were sad my heart broke because I hated seeing you so distraught. I am sorry for the hell I put you, as well as everyone else, through. I actually contemplated not **_coming_** back. Can you believe that? Honestly, I was going to leave. But I did come back, and I would be lying if I didn't say that making things right with you was part of the reason of me returning."

I sighed and rubbed my shoulder in self-consciousness at my words. I was sure I was rambling on by now. "I actually thought about going to the Wall, because of how often you talk about it. Then, I had this crazy plan to go to the Summer Isles because I really wanted to go there ever since tried that fruit together. Do you remember we were children and we-"

Jon snapped around to face me, smacking the bowl off the counter in frustration. The noise from the bowl hitting the ground vibrated around the room and the jerky in it spilled everywhere.

My eyes widened in fear and I took a cautious step back.

He stalked towards me, his face intimidating, his Stark grey eyes became black with an emotion I could not pin point.

I backed up beside the oven, bumping into the wall behind me. He came closer to me, almost touching me.

I looked down at my feet, my eyes stinging with unshed tears.

I probably made him furious with my pathetic excuse of an apology.

I glanced back up at him and tried to apologize once more. A simple apology this time.

"Jon, I am s-"

"Shut up, Ophelia." He growled and grabbed the back of my head. He crashed his lips onto mine.

I froze.

Jon was kissing me.

Jon Snow was kissing _**me!**_

Out of all the women who looked at him, out of all the girls who thought he was attractive, he chose me to kiss.

My first kiss.

Holy Maiden, Jon _ **fucking**_ Snow was kissing me!

My mind kept returning to this thought. I closed my eyes and melted into his lips. I kissed him back as best as I could. I think I did well considering this was my first time.

He tasted like jerky and apples and fire. He smelled musky, like damp earth and freshly cut wood, as well as a hint of peppermint.

As he kissed me, he had one hand on the back of my head and the other on the small of my back.

Jon pressed his lips harder to mine and actually bit my bottom lip. I opened my mouth to gasp but he took that as an opportunity to stick his tounge in my mouth. He pulled our already touching bodies closer and moved his hand from my back to my hip.

From there, he slowly trailed his rough, strong hands upwards _**underneath**_ my robe.

Oh Gods. Oh Gods. Oh Gods. Oh Gods.

What was he doing?!

Why was I letting him do this?! I needed to put a stop to it, but the mere feeling of his fingers made me paralyzed with a fire he set upon my skin just from touching me.

I felt like my heart was going to burst.

His hands were warm and my body shuddered in delight. They kept making their way upwards towards my chest at an aganozingly slow pace.

Slowly up.

Slowly up.

Slowly up.

It was torture.

His hands abruptly stopped underneath my breasts and he pulled away from me.

For a moment, the only sound was our hard ragged breathing and the soft crackling of the fire from the oven.

I opened my eyes to see his closed. He peppered my face with soft kisses and was clutching my robe so tightly, I feared he was going to rip it off. I had no nightgown underneath.

I blushed red at the thought.

Very, very slowly he released his grasp from me and opened his eyes, that intense look now gone.

He backed away from me and put enough distance between us.

One hand was on my sore chapped lips, the other over my heart to still the erratic beating.

Jon leaned against the table in the middle of the kitchen and remained there giving me a wide-eyed look.

"I'm sorry, Ophelia. I don't know what came over me." Jon's eyes raked over me, and the look in his eyes almost returned. He quickly shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, taking deep breaths to control himself. He opened his shut eyes to reveal a calmer look, and his breathing slowed down to a less erratic pace.

I could only nod, not trusting my voice or head to say words.

"I had to do that...at least once."

Huh? What did he mean by that?

He turned and basically ran out of the kitchens, leaving me alone and disheveled.

I stood in the dimly-lit room, staring at nothing.

Subconsciously, I fixed my robe by tightening it, especially near the top where my teats were dangerously close to being full exposed.

Then it was quiet.

My mind was racing with a singular question in mind.

...WHAT IN THE SEVEN HELLS HAPPENED?!

I forgot about my hunger and couldn't help the goofy grin, a result from my first kiss, spreading across my face.

I should apologize to him more often.

And the way he kissed me!

I was just kissed.

And I liked it.

I started to hum a nonsensical tune and slowly danced around the kitchens.

I swayed back to my room this way, not even caring if I passed people.

I tried to think of other things.

Books.

Mops.

Carrots.

The fact that I am a Pyralis.

Soap.

Vomit.

But all I could go back to was Jon's soft lips and his rough hands.

What came over him? He's never acted like that before (not that I minded), and has never even hinted that he wanted to do something like that with me.

Or has he?

Did he drop any hints about him kissing me that I might have been oblivious to?

It honestly confounded me.

I had always thought Jon wasn't interested in girls...period. He never expressed an interest in anyone, never told me, Robb, or Theon about entering a courtship with a girl. Even as a child he never expressed wanting to get married to a princess, much like Robb did. I always thought it was because of his baseborn status...but perhaps, could it be because of me?

I went into my room, closed the door, and latched it shut. I walked to my bed and flopped down on it, staring at the ceiling above me.

My mind kept repeating the memory of the kiss over and over.

Did Jon care for me in a romantic way?

Was he just using me?

How far was I willing to go with him?

I thought back to his hands under my robe.

I closed my eyes in pleasure at the thought.

Why me?

Was I going to stop him from going further if he hadn't stopped himself?

I should've been lecturing myself for letting him touch me, or even kiss, in such an inappropriate manner.

I was starting to feel overwhelmed again.

"Keep it together." I muttered to myself. I ran my hands down my face and couldn't stop smiling, giddy about what had happened.

"You have more important things to worry about, Ophelia. Don't go looking for more trouble." I reprimanded my awestruck brain.

But Jon Snow wasn't trouble.

He was the opposite of trouble.

He made me forget in that moment about everything bad.

It was only us.

Jon, with his curly black hair, stoic attitude, and chivalrous manner. And his strong arms. And his soft pink lips.

"Stop!" I shouted at myself, blushing furiously.

This was Jon! The boy I grew up with. The one who played with me and Nova. The one who bathed with me when we were babies and tiny tykes. The one who taught me to ride a horse. The one who would sleep in my bed because he was scared of the shadows at night. The one who was there for me when Robb and I stopped talking. The one who brung me a warm water skin when my first moonsblood occured. The one who dropped a huge clod of snow on people when they passed by the walls of Winterfell. The one who would sneak sweets from kitchens because I was having a bad day. The one who gave me a seaglass bracelet to cheer me up-something that was still among my possessions to this very day.

It would make no sense for him to care for me in a romantic manner.

Though on the other hand...it would make perfect sense for us to end up together. It would only be natural for us to develop feelings for each other.

Oh Gods...did I have feelings for Jon Snow, or was I just happily gleeful from being kissed?

What was I going to do?

I touched my lips and started to giggle again.

Jon Snow kissed me.

It was fiery and passionate and-

I suddenly snapped my fingers at the name that randomly came to mind. I turned and smiled at my still slumbering bird.

"Ethaesper! I shall call you Ethaesper." I smiled at my puffball and went over to nuzzle my cheek against them

 _"Eep-eep!"_ Ethaesper woke up at the sound of their new name and hopped up against my cheek.

"Awww, I love you too!"

A sharp knock interuppted my cuddlefest with Ethaesper and I froze.

Who could it be?

My mind went to the curly-haired boy and my stomach did twists and turns. I scolded myself to stop acting so foolish. I jumped off the bed, smoothed my appearance, and calmly walked over to the door.

I opened it to reveal Theon.

A red-eyed Theon, who looked extremely angry with me.

He barged into my room without an invitation and whipped around to glare at me. He stood in front of the fireplace. His body language told me he was ready to hit something or collapse from the weight of stress.

I probably passed him on my way back from the kitchens, too much in a daze to notice him.

He obviously noticed me.

I gently shut my door and turned to face him.

He exploded.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME?! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I WAS...ABOUT YOU, ABOUT WHERE YOU'D GONE OFF TO?! WHY WOULD DO SUCH A STUPID THING, LIKE RUNNING AWAY?! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD...THAT YOU WOULD NEVER RETURN...I THOUGHT THAT YOU LEFT ME!"

I was taken aback by Theon, who was at his most vulnerable than I had ever seen him before.

I examined his appearance. His clothes were messy, as though he hadn't changed in several days. His eyes had bags under them, an obvious sign on sleepless nights. Stubble was growing around his clean-shaven face, and his eyes were red.

He had been crying.

I ran over and hugged him. My arms wrapped around his waist and I put my head on his chest. Theon was about to say something else but I squeezed him tightly and eventually, he gripped me back just as hard.

He slid to the floor on his knees and I came down with him.

"It's okay. I'm back, and I won't be going anywhere." He held onto me and I felt his teardrops in my hair.

Theon lowered his voice to a low tone.

"I thought you might've been killed...or raped...you can't go. You're the only one who understands me, the only one to know what it's like to be... He trailed off and I felt his body shake. More of his tears continued to wet the top of my head, but I had no care if they did.

"Within and without?" I finished for him in a soft voice. I felt him nod fervently.

"They don't understand...they will **never** understand. Please don't leave me again." His voice cracked, and I felt his fingers digging into my flesh holding onto dear life.

They, meaning the Starks, would never understand. It was true. They could never understand what reality was for people like us. They would never be able to see beyond their picturesque world. It disappointed me so, despite my affections for them.

Lord Stark and My Lady would never understand because in their eyes, Theon is a Greyjoy, and as a general consensus of the people, one should never trust a Greyjoy. Robb could never fully bond with Theon, because he would be Lord of Winterfell and Theon would still be a ward. Jon could never understand Theon because he is a bastard, a whole other set of problems.

Sansa could never be with someone like Theon, because he had nothing to give her, in terms of status and wealth. Arya, as wild as she is, will never relate to Theon because if she wanted to, she could travel Westeros, whereas Theon would have to remain within the walls of Winterfell. Bran could be a knight, something Theon would never be able to accomplish, because of his status as a political prisoner. And Rickon, Little Rickon, would soon see that not everyone is as fortunate as he when it came to families.

They would never understand indeed.

But I could.

Yes, I could feel his pain when it came to being an outsider, but unlike him (someone who yearned to be accepted) I was fine being half in their world, and half out of it.

Or at least I was fine with my position until recently.

Yet, it pained me to see my friend in such an emotional state.

I suppose even someone like Theon Greyjoy needs a person on their side, someone to talk to, someone who was willing to listen.

My heart fell at his voice, the tone of which sounded like a sad little boy, and I said, "I won't leave you. I promise."

Theon looked me in my eyes and said, "Don't leave me. I don't want you to go. I don't want you to be away from me."

I nodded and gave him a small, sad smile in reassurance, "I'm not going to leave you. I don't want to be away from you either."

He kissed my forehead fiercely and continued to hold me.

I made the right decision in coming back.

 **So, yeah...I thought this was a bit fun to write. Haha. Anyways, remember what I wrote in a previous author's note. Lol yay, TheonxOphelia bestie moment! Next chapter: A look into Ned's past with** **Ophelia. Please read, review, and rest easy! If we could get this up to 44 reviews, I will give you all virtual cookies! :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Wow! Thank you to all who reviewed. I loved reading your reactions to Jon and Ophelia's...'talk' lol. And can I just say Jeepers! 41 favorites and 61 follows?! Holy crap, that made my day! Oh and I would like to thank darkwolf76! You're such a delight to talk with lol and I urge everyone to read darkwolf76's story 'Defying Demons' which is a phenomenal fanfiction. :D Like seriously, holy shit it's so good! Anyways, on with the story. As always, I own nothing except for Ophelia and anyone else I make up. (Passes tray of homemade cookies around) Thank you to all my readers! I love you guys so much. /('.')/**

 **Trigger Warning: Blood and Violence.**

3rd P.O.V. Winterfell

Ned Stark is not a fickle man nor is he unreasonable by any means.

He is not be the type to declare his affections with a grand gesture, but he is not completely inattentive to those he loves.

However, what people assume about Eddard Stark is that by being as honorable as he is, that he is unaffectionate.

But this is simply untrue.

No event can further prove this than the night that he saved a baby's life.

And as Lord Stark sat down at his desk in his Solar after several day of searching for this same girl, the tiny baby he had once saved and someone while he had grown to love fiercely like one of his own daughters, he pondered about how this was not the first time he went to great lengths to ensure her protection.

He leaned back in his chair and watched a fire being lit by a young girl, the same age as Ophelia, and he chuckled lightly, remembering at how Ophelia always came in to serve him his tea with the same big, goofy smile, while balancing another tray.

She was so much like her father, yet so different. Her looks, her sunny disposition, the way she furrowed her eyebrows whenever she was confused, even her running off.

It was all Rowtag.

Though some of Seraphine was in her as well. Her features were her mother's, from the color of her hair to her height. She was as determined and loving, just like Seraphine.

But Ophelia is also plenty of her own person, someone foreign to the influence of the people her parents once were. She was bashful, a shyness that was nothing like her confident Mother and Father. Seraphine and Rowtag could walk into a room and command attention with their mere presence. Ophelia, however, tended to blend in with the crowds and the shadows. From what he observed, she hated large crowds looking at her. Because of this, she didn't have many friends, like Rowtag did, and she wasn't as flirtatious as Seraphine. She was more hard-working than either of her parents, as far as he knew, and she was more gentle than he ever expected a Pyralis to be.

Ned sighed as the serving girl put down a tray of chamomile tea and left, shutting the door loudly, nothing like the soft closing that Ophelia would make sure to whenever she left his Solar. He raised the cup to his lips thinking about the stress this girl has put everyone through in trying to find her. As Ned took a sip, he thought about how tomorrow he would have to write to all the Houses (as well as the Night's Watch) he had sent ravens to, to inform them to call off the search for his missing ward. Mostly he had thought about the past and how much this girl changed his life.

The cup was set down on the tray and he closed his eyes in an effort trying to settle down.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and gave out a breath of relaxation. The Lord of Winterfell fell into the crevices of his mind as he recalled the stresses of having this child under his ward.

Stresses he did not mind.

Not in the least.

 _Ned Stark had been having a taxing day._

 _The stores for winter were not as full as they could've been and the harvest produce was not as bountiful as previous years. Farmers were struggling to keep up with the demand of grain and wheat, causing a delay to occur. Some of the food that had been stored, was being stolen, so Eddard had to deal with searching for a thief in his household. His wife and him were slowly mending their fractured relationship, and even though they were now civil with one another in public, he found it hard to confide in her in private without getting a snarky remark in return._

 _Then there was the stress concerning Robb and Jon, both of whom were producing their first teeth, so their aches of pain kept them up at night. Catelyn refused to attend Jon and forbade Robb's Septa from interfering with the upbring of the bastard baby, though she did allow the Septa to attend to the six month old baby girl living under their roof. Ned Stark took it upon himself to stay up during night to attend to Jon's fevers and aches_

 _During one such night when he had managed to quiet down the small boy and miraculously got him to sleep, Ned Stark decided to make himself a cup of chamomile tea before going to bed. Most of the servants had already gone to bed and he empathized with those who needed their sleep after a long day._

 _He gently laid Jon's black curly head down and covered him with a blanket. He kissed his forehead and exited out of the room, closing the door as softly as possible._

 _Ned was heading down to the kitchens when, out of nowhere, he got the feeling that something wasn't right._

 _Perhaps it was good fortune, perhaps it was experience from battles he had fought, but Eddard Stark decided to check the rooms before going into the kitchens._

 _He first went back to Jon's room, where the small baby was sleeping, his tiny body curled up in blankets. He searched under the crib, in the wardrobe, and behind the tapestries, but nothing was out of order. He closed the door and went on his way._

 _Next, Ned walked to the other part of the castle where he came upon his room. Opening the door, he did not find anything missing or out of place. Everything was exactly where it should've been. He closed the door and proceeded to the next place._

 _The following room was the one his wife was staying in. And that is where she was, dressed in her blue robe, red-hair frazzled, as she held a sleeping Robb to her chest. Cat was snoring on the bed, and Robb was sprawled out on top of her, a small dribble of drool coming from his little mouth._

 _Ned smiled a small smile at the picture of his wife and child and how peaceful they looked. Even if he and his wife were not loving with each other, he could still appreciate how lucky he was to even be alive to have a wife and a son._

 _He gently shut the door and leaned his back against it._

 _Maybe he was just being paranoid, or maybe he just needed some sleep._

 _Dismissing the possibility of a threat to his over-active and sleep-deprived imagination, he started to make his way down the hall when he heard the sound of metal coming from one of the stones on the floor._

 _Eddard stopped walking and lifted his foot, and put it down again. His shoes had no metal attached to the heel, or anywhere._

 _That could only mean one thing..._

 _He widened his eyes and ran to the last room of the hall._

 _'No!', Ned thought as he sprinted to the end of the hall, 'By the Old Gods, let me be wrong!'_

 _He burst into the room and his heart stopped with horror._

 _A man, dressed all in black with a mask covering half his face, was holding a pillow to the face of a squirming baby girl._

 _On his feet were boots with silver spurs._

 _Eddard Stark's inner wolf was released._

 _With a furious yell that an outside danger was hurting one of his pups, he lunged himself onto the intruder, knocking him down and the pillow out of his hand and onto the floor._

 _The man kicked Eddard in the stomach, causing the young Lord to gasp for breath. The intruder struggled to get to his feet. He tripped a couple times, frantically trying to make it to the window._

 _Ned regained his breath just as the man was about to jump out and onto the ground below. He ran over, grabbed the intruder by the back of his shirt and slammed him down on the floor._

 _The intruder squirmed furiously to get out of Ned's hold. He punched Ned in the face a couple of times before he was subdued by The Quiet Wolf, who put his hand to the man's neck._

 _For a split second, Ned let out a breath of relief. The baby had started to cry, unaware of how close she was to going into the afterlife. But her cries kindled the steadily growing fire within him._

 _All he could see was red._

 _As Ned pinned the man to the floor, he saw the Septa on the other side of the crib. Her body was laid on the floor, her eyes unseeing, her throat slashed._

 _The Quiet Wolf turned his sights back to the struggling man beneath him and he snarled._

 _"Who sent you?" He growled out, gripping the man's neck tightly._

 _The man started to sputter, not letting a word out due to not being able to breathe._

 _Even though it was not the man's fault for his inability to answer, Ned grew more and more furious at his lack of answers._

 _The wolf inside him was growling and wanted blood. The baby bird was now part of a wolf pack, and no one attacks one of the young ones without launching a direct attack on the Alpha._

 _With a growl emitting from his chest, Ned gave out a loud war cry and bit into the man's neck, ripping out a huge chunk of meat and veins. He spat it across the room and watched the man, in grimm satisfaction, bleed to death._

 _With the threat gone, he sat on top of him and started to relax. He searched the man's pocket and found what he was looking for: a sign._

 _And a sign it was._

 _On the handle of blade that was used to murder the Septa, was a bold stag, engraved beautifully in silver and was on the handle of the dagger. (He also found some of the food that was stolen from the stores, so it appeared he had found the castle's thief as well)._

 _Ned narrowed his eyes at the sight, for there was only one house whose sigil was a stag: Baratheon._

 _He was interuppted from his dark revelation as a gasp emitted from behind him._

 _Ned turned around, his mouth and shirt covered with blood of his enemy, to see Cat covering her mouth in horrific terror._

 _She had awoken from the noise coming down the hall and thought the Septa needed help in attending the baby._

 _She took in the sight of her husband, the intruder, and the dead Septa and deduced what occurred._

 _Cat immediately ran to the crib to see a fussy baby girl and started to weep in gratitude. S_ _he couldn't even hold the baby as she was shaking so badly from the fear of what could've happened. Cat collapsed to her knees by the crib and started praying thanks to her gods for safety of the child, and for the courage of her husband._

 _Ned removed himself from the body beneath him and walked over to the baby._

 _"Shh", he muttered to the fussy babe as he gathered her in his arms, "there is no need to cry. You are safe, Little One."_

 _He cooed at the baby, who started to settle down, aside from her small grunts and whimpers. He gently bounced her up and down in his arms and walked over to the rocking chair in the corner of the room, where he sat down exhausted from...well, everything._

 _Cat looked at her husband with red-eyes, and for the first time in a long time, she started to see him a new light._

 _He saved her friend's baby._

 _"Why?", Cat asked in a hoarse voice. She used the railing of the crib to stand up and she looked at her husband. "Why would you save her? You don't even like anyone who bares the name Pyralis. Why did you save her?"_

 _Ned looked up from the baby, who was beginning to shut her eyes, and he stated quietly, "Ophelia is not her mother. She is not her father. She was sworn to be under the protection of House Stark, and protect her I will. She is innocent from any crime her parents may have committed."_

 _That night, the healing process between the Fish and the Direwolf was expedited. After all, if a man saves a baby's life, how bad can he really be?_

 _Unfortunately, this would not be the last time that Ned would save the little girl's life._

 _After the attempted (and failed assassination), Eddard sent a messenger to the King. The messenger carried a roll of parchment and the blade that was used in killing the Septa. The parchment warned of how the North never forgets crimes committed against one of their own. It said that this girl was now under the protection of House Stark, a Northern house, and that House Stark does not take kindly to threats upon one of their own. Lastly it stated, that in the spirit of what was once a strong friendship, King Robert and his assassination attempt would be forgotten as long as it was never repeated again._

 _The messenger came back and informed the Lord of Winterfell that the King threw himself into a rage, but under the coaxing of several advisors, he reluctantly agreed to not send another assassin._

 _However, the agreement to not send any killers from the King only revealed to Ned how someone else wanted Ophelia dead, though for reasons unknown to him._

 _By her second nameday, Ophelia had grown into quite the adorable tiny tyke. She was still a bit chubby, had round cheeks, and wide Pyralis dark crimson eyes._

 _She would smile a grin with only a couple teeth and would speak intellectually half the time and gibberish the other half. The toddler often spent her days trailing after Lady Stark, like a little duck, hanging onto the back of her skirts. If Cat was too busy, she would trail after Lord Stark, like a little duck, and would mimic his actions and commands in way that made even the most hardened of the servants smile. And if Lord Stark was busy, she would play with Robb and Jon in the nursery._

 _The next time that this child's life would be endangered came in the form of a servant._

 _This servant was new. She arrived at the castle, desolate-looking and in need of a job. After testing her skills that lasted for a month, she was sent to work as an assistant to Maester Luwin before a proper assistant could be found for the Maester._

 _She spent her days learning tonics, poultices, tincture, and oils. She learned about remedys that could heal...and she learned about toxics that could kill._

 _This woman was sweet-faced with a silver tounge. She was the favorite servant among the children, so it was easy to discretely pour a small vial of bitter cascara into Ophelia's cup at supper without the little girl making a fuss about it. She would pour the little girl her death in front of her guardians and they would never even know. All she had to do was whisper sweet nothings to the child and smile sweetly. The woman immediately left upon giving the poison to her._

 _The woman told her that the vial she poured in her cup, would give her magic powers to see fairies and unicorns. All she had to do was drink all her water._

 _Ophelia eagerly grabbed the cup and took a small sip._

 _After all, My Lady always told her that a proper girl does not take gulps like a glutton, but rather, small sips like a bird._

 _She scrunched up her face in disgust and ran her tounge against the bottom of her top two teeth trying to scrape off the bitter taste of the poison away. The nice servant lady did not tell her how disgusting the magic water would taste._

 _"Yucky!" She exclaimed pushing the cup away from her. She did not like whatever was put in her cup._

 _Ned and Catelyn Stark looked up from their plates and stared curiously at the little girl who was never picky with her foods._

 _"Whatever is the matter, Little Bird?", inquired Catelyn. She got up from her chair and walked over the small table where Opehlia and Jon sat, and knelt down besides her._

 _"Is it the food?", asked Cat. She grabbed the spoon on Ophelia's plate and spooned a mouthful of vegetables in the toddlers mouth, which she ate greedily._

 _Hmm...she was eating her food._

 _"What is yucky?", she asked out curiosity. Cat leaned her red-head to the side and peered into the toddler's bowl, which was nearly done. Obviously she was not talking about the food._

 _Catelyn grabbed a roll of bread from the bowl in the middle of the table and broke a piece off, giving it to the girl._

 _She gladly took it and hummed in delight as she swung her feet back and forth._

 _Alright...it was obviously not the bread._

 _"Ophelia...", Catelyn pronounced slowly, "can you point to me what the yucky thing is?"_

 _She grinned with cheeks full of bread (that made her look like a chubby chipmunk with nuts in their cheeks) and pointed to her cup._

 _"Yucky."_

 _Catelyn picked up the cup and sniffed it. It smelled faintly bitter...cautiously she dipped her pinky in the liquid and put a drop of it on her tounge._

 _Her Tully blue eyes widened and she grabbed Ophelia and picked her up. She held the small child to her chest and her eyes frantically found Ned's Stark grey ones._

 _He got up rapidly, knocking his chair over and rushed to the small table. He quickly put a drop of Jon's and Ophelia's water on his tounge and while a bit of him was relieved that Jon's was not poisoned, he knew the Little Bird was not as lucky._ _He didn't bother testing Robb's, for he was served from the same water pitcher as he and Cat were. Ned snatched the chubby little girl from Cat's arms and ran._

 _He held Ophelia's head against his chest as he raced through the corridors of Winterfell, not caring that he knocked people over. He ran up the steps to his destination, just in time, as his ward was starting to fuss about her stomach hurting. He barged in the room and saw the man he was looking for._

 _A huffing Cat appeared shortly after he did, out of breath and holding Ophelia's cup of poisoned water._

 _Maester Luwin, who was sitting in his chair reading a book, looked up, startled by this sudden intrusion._

 _Noting the frantic looks on the young couple's face, he put his book down and got up, making his way over to them. His greying eyebrows were raised in surprise._

 _"What may I do for you, My Lord?" He asked looking at Ned. The Quiet Wolf made his way past Luwin and set Ophelia down on the table in the middle of the room._

 _"She's been poisoned.", Ned darkly glowered. Cat rushed to Luwin and gave him the cup of liquid and looked at him wide-eyed with worry. She went to Ophelia who was starting to hold her small stomach in pain and beginning to cry. She grabbed her and held her to her chest and rocked her back in forth, as if her rocking would magic the pain away._

 _Maester Luwin's expression quickly changed from one of surprise to one of seriousness, and he did the same as Lord and Lady did. He dipped his finger in liquid and tasted a drop. His eyes lit up in realization and immediately rushed to a pot of water that he was boiling. He grabbed a mortar and pestle and retrieved some dried leaves from a ceramic jar. As he started to crush them Maester Luwin asked, "How much did she drink?"_

 _"I believe it was only a sip, but I can't be too sure..." Cat trailed off as she continued with her efforts in trying to soothe the crying toddler._

 _Luwin grabbed the crushed leaves and put them in a tea pot. He poured the hot water on them and waited for an eternal three minutes to let them seep, with another additional four minutes to allow to pot to coo down enough for the small child._

 _He quickly poured a cup and walked over to Ophelia, how was clutching onto Cat, her wails shaking her small body._

 _"Ophelia, do you want the pain to go away?", asked Maester Luwin in a gentle voice. She only cried and was squirming around, trying to get the hurt in her stomach to go away._

 _"Little Bird", Cat said, trying to look at the girl whose face was buried in her shoulder, "you must drink the tea. It'll help your tummy. Alright?"_

 _The small girl only wailed louder and shook her head._

 _She didn't want to drink anymore tea or water. It would only hurt her more._

 _"Ophelia, drink the tea.", commanded Maester Luwin in a more stern voice._

 _"NO TEA!", she shrieked in pain._

 _"Little Bird, please drink the tea." Cat pleaded. Ophelia only shook her head and kept her mouth shut._

 _Ned was sweating in dread and was biting his thumb in worry._

 _Maester Luwin looked over at Ned and said sharply, "She has to drink this now. I need you to hold her down on the table, I will pour it in her mouth."_

 _Ned nodded his head and grabbed Ophelia from a reluctant Cat. They exchanged looks and Cat hesitantly let go of her little girl. Cat's eyes watered up in tears and she had to look away as Ned held her down on the table so Maester Luwin could force-feed her the healing tea. Ned started to talk to Ophelia, gently telling her that the bad feeling in her tummy would go away if she drank the tea._

 _Cat covered her mouth and shut her eyes as she heard the small child's screams become gargled with the tea that would save her life. Cat's tears flowed down easily when she heard her coughs from choking on it. After a couple minutes, Ophelia screamed some more, but at least she would be fine. She forcefully drank what Maester Luwin was trying to give her._

 _Cat felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to sea Maester Luwin giving her an understanding look._

 _It is never easy for a mother to see her child in such pain._

 _Maester Luwin walked over to the teapot and poured another cup. Cat rushed to Ophelia and held her tightly as Ned was stroking the small child's head in reassurance, giving her a small kiss on her forehead._

 _"Bitter Cascara.", stated Maester Luwin out of the blue, coming over with another cup of tea. "The poison was Bitter Cascara. Marshmallow leaf tea should help."_

 _"Ummm...", Cat had to clear her throat before she could speak clearly. Her voice, thick from worry was cracking a bit, "Will...Will she be alright? Will she be healthy?"_

 _Maester Luwin nodded and said, " She didn't drink much of the poison, which is fortunate. As long as she continues with this pot of tea, she will be fine."_

 _The young parents let out a sigh of relief. Ophelia's cries slowed into hiccups as the healing took place in her body._

 _After she was settled enough, she drank the next three cups of tea without complaint. That night, Ophelia slept between Ned and Cat, snuggled in the middle. They both were awake half the night watching her little mouth open to breathe small pants of air, and the pair thanked their individual gods for helping save this small precious girl._

 _When Cat fell asleep, hugging Ophelia close to her body, Ned stared at the ceiling, trying to rack his brains on the mystery of who gave Ophelia the poison. Maester Luwin said it had to be someone who worked at the castle, someone who was good with plants. He even checked his personal stores, and sure enough, bitter cascara was missing._

 _Someone tried to kill his little girl, and when he found out who did it, he would make sure they would not live to see another day._

 _He racked his brains the entire night, until he knew who it was: that woman. Though he did not pay attention to who served Ophelia, he knew that she was only one who could put something in her cup without the small child making a fuss about it. That woman had given Ophelia tonics for colds before, and after a while of serving the child, she came to know how to give Ophelia a tonic without the little girl crying about not wanting to drink it. She was the one who did it, that he was sure of._

 _How could he have been so blind!_

 _Ned gently removed himself from bed, doing his best not to wake up his wife and the little one he cared so much for. He went to his wardrobe, got out Ice, strapped it to his side and left the room as silently as possible._

 _Once he was out of earshot, the Wolf started to sprint._

 _That woman would be gone by now, but she would not be lost. He was going to find her._

 _Ned woke up the guards that were sleeping and rounded up the ones who were on patrol. He had a handful stay in Winterfell while the rest of the pack joined the hunt for the perpetrator._

 _"Look for Ana. She was Maester Luwin's assistant and the one who tried to murder a little girl. If you find her, bring her to me." Ned commanded his men before riding out. One group went out the Hunter's Gate, going_ _north. Another group went to Wintertown to search for her. The group that Ned lead stayed near Winterfell, looking in the Godswood. Everyone split up to search for her._

 _She did not go far, that is what his instincts were telling him._

 _He galloped his horse in all parts of the Godswood, until he found her._

 _She wasn't running, she wasn't hiding. Ana was leaning against an old oak tree, with her arms crossed, a surprisingly nonchalant attitude coming from someone who tried to kill a little girl only a couple hours beforehand._

 _Ned jumped from his horse and unsheathed Ice with one hand. He glared at the woman, who was twirling a small clear vial in one of her hands. She smirked at the Lord of Winterfell._

 _"Did she live?", asked the servant her cat-eyes turning into slits. Ned pointed the tip of his sword at the base of her neck and he snarled with disgust._

 _"How dare you ask that!" He pressed the tip further into her pale skin, causing a small incision to appear along her collarbone, making a couple droplets of blood._

 _Ana shrugged and grinned. "It was a sound question. Had I been brought up without any tact, I would've asked what color did her body turn after she took her last breath. But", Ana made a gesture to present her surroundings, "here I am, asking about the welfare of a child. There's nothing wrong with that." Her voice as smooth honey, dripped with venom that indicated she honestly had no care for Ophelia or her state of health._

 _Ned felt his rage bubble up and overflow. "I, Eddard of House Stark and Warden of the North, sentence you to die." He proclaimed in a dark voice, making sure he said every word as venomously as she would.._

 _Ana only smirked and tossed the empty vial at him. The vial bounced off of Ned's shoulder and landed on the floor of the Godswoods. The Quiet Wolf refused to acknowledge the small empty bottle as he remained in his stance. The woman's breathing was slowing down and her cheeks that were once beautifully rosy, were starting to turn an ashen grey_

 _"My mission is done. You cannot kill a person, who has already taken their own life." She gasped out. The woman buckled to her knees, her strawberry blonde hair sticking to her face from sweat. Ned moved his sword downward as she laid on the ground._

 _"Because of what I have done, we will only grow stronger." The woman spasmed and died._

 _The Lord of Winterfell took a step back from the body and kicked a tree trunk out of frustration. He should've started the search sooner, before that evil woman had the chance to drink her way out of justice. Ned sheathed Ice and bent down to pick up the vial she tossed at him. He inspected it._

 _The vial was empty and normal looking, asides from one decoration engraved into the glass. It was hard to make out and Ned would have missed it if he possessed bad eyesight. Yet, his eyes were as good as any and staring in a perversely clear way was a small engraving on the front of the glass vial: a single rose._

 _House Tyrell's sigil was a rose._

 _Ned's fists clenched tightly and he left the body of the servant in the middle of the woods to be eaten by wild animals._

 _He would not grant her the luxury of being buried or burned._

 _Right now he had to deal with him fighting his way out of a web of thorns in order to protect one of his own._

 _This was an undoubtedly difficult situation. The Tyrells wanted Ophelia dead. That he was certain of. But why? She was a small toddler who was a female. What threat did she pose? He thought of what the woman had said before she died. 'We will only grow stronger.' Growing Strong were the words that represented House Tyrell, much like Winter is Coming represented House Stark. The proof was right there._

 _The next day Eddard told his household of the servant, Ana, who tried to kill his ward. He thanked those who helped him search for her... He purposefully left out the crucial information why she did it. If anyone asked, he would say that she went mad and lost her way. And perhaps that woman did lose her way somewhere along the path of her life._

 _He told Cat of the Tyrell's and her response was to clutch a napping Ophelia tightly and state that the North was going to war against the Reach._

 _Ned walked over to her and looked her firmly in the eyes._

 _"We are not going to war. We are not risking the lives of our people. We will write to the King and ask that he tell the Tyrells to seize with their plots."_

 _Cat stood up from their bed, took a step back from Ned, and glared at him._

 _"They tried to hurt a child. They tried to hurt my child! Do you honestly believe I will just let that go?"_

 _"She is not your child!" Ned snapped at his wife. Cat's eyes went wide and her bottom lip immediately started to tremble. Ned had hit a sore spot. He instantly regretted saying what he did to her, but it was true. Ned loved Ophelia, to the point of it hurting whenever he thought of her growing up or something bad happening to her. But the hard truth was, is that even though he and Cat both loved their Little Bird, if she was truly one of their own children, she would not be in danger so often._

 _Ned sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose and continued. "_ _She is not mine, as much as I hate to admit it. She is not a Stark and she will never be one. She is and will always be a Pyralis. Her blood calls enemies to kill her, even if she is unaware of it herself. The most we can do, is love and protect her."_

 _Cat sniffed and nodded her head. "Aye. Send a raven then...and tell the King to pass the message onto the Tyrells: The North Remembers." Wiping her cheeks from any stray tears, a determined look came across her face. She kissed the sleeping child on the cheek and left the room._

 _Ned shook his head and glanced over at the chubby toddler on his bed. He left to his Solar. He had a scroll to write and a raven to send._

 _Well, a fortnight passed until he had a response from King Robert. The scroll said much of the same the last one did, with the exception that he would see that no more attempts on Ophelia's life would happen under the orders of anyone, even the new Wardens of the South._

 _Time passed. As winters came and went, the Little Bird that was his ward grew bigger and bigger. She lost her chubbiness and became an active little girl. Her hair was longer, her teeth were grown out, and she was always trailing after Robb and Jon. Somewhere beyond the transition from toddler to a young child of eight, she became their duckling instead of his and Cat's. Not that he minded though. It was nice to see the three of them so close together._

 _After their lessons and the boy's training with Ser Rodrick, he usually found the three playing some made up game in the courtyard or in the Godswood. During the nights he made it a ritual to check on all of the children a couple times. More than once did he find Jon in Ophelia's bed, both clutching each other's hands in comfort. Ned smiled at the irony of the two of them together. Some nights he would find Ophelia in Robb's room, both slumbering with their favorite toys in between them, a sign that they fell asleep playing. Several times he would find all three in one of their bedrooms, sleeping together in a makeshift tent, created out of sticks and blankets. Occasionally, he wouldn't find Ophelia in any of the kid's rooms, only to return to his own and find her nestled with Catelyn, fast asleep in the comfort of the Tully woman's arms after dreaming of a nightmare._

 _If there was a paradise for children, he was sure this was it. There hadn't been an attempt on Ophelia's life in years. She was thriving as much as a girl could thrive, and that was all Ned could really pray for. Still...the doubt lingered in the back of his mind. How long until everything changes? It would be several months after that thought occurred, that everything did change. Change came with two ravens, a scroll from the Manderlys, inviting him to White Harbor. Another from a man, also in White Harbor, who asked to secretly meet with the Lord of Winterfell. The letter claimed that he was a loyal friend of House Pyralis, and if Eddard was willing, the man could smuggle Ophelia out of Westeros to be with her biological blood in Essos, where she would be safe from King Robert and his all-seeing eyes._

 _Eddard clenched his fists, balling up the scroll._

 _It was signed with a small picture of Phoenix carrying a flower._

 _He knew who the man was after seeing the drawing, and knew that this man's intentions were genuine._

 _What was he going to do?_

A sharp knock on the door woke the Lord of Winterfell up. He opened his eyes and groaned as he saw the dim, overcast light from outside shining through the windows. He had fallen asleep in his Solar, exhausted from the search.

Another knock on the door made him sit up and crack his back. He stretched his arms above his head and twisted he head to the side cracking his neck. Putting his hands down, Ned sighed and he looked up.

"Come in." He called out.

In walked the person he was dreaming about. The one that had everyone worried for the past several days.

Ophelia looked around cautiously, her red-brown hair falling in front of her face as she glanced at him with those wide Pyralis dark crimson eyes. She clutched the side of the door as she peered into the room and asked softly, "May I please come in?"

Ned looked at her and gave a tired smile. "Of course. We have much to discuss."

 **So this was just a little chapter that showed a bit of what Ned has been going through to keep her safe. I felt like this was really needed in terms of storytelling. Next chapter: Ophelia and Ned have a talk, Ophelia receives a couple of surprises, and 'Felia learns some facts about her father. Guys, you are doing so awesome with the reviews! If we could get it up to 49, I would be so happy! I believe in you! So anyways read, review, and rest easy! :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Wow! 44 favorites and 69 follows! I am so thankful for you guys! Seeing this made my day. Also thanks for the reviews. I love seeing them and reading them, it makes me so happy and I swear, I take no review for granted. The dress Ophelia wears in this chapter can be viewed on the website Armstreet** **. It's the Medieval Short Sleeved Dress XVI Century. So, I have a plan for this story all the way to the beginning of season 3. I might not be able to write for a while, because school is starting for me this upcoming week, with the key word in this sentence being might. I want everyone to know that this takes place roughly a year before season one, give or take a couple of months. I have some more songs for the pairings, so leave me a review on what your thoughts are for them!**

 **RobbxOphelia: The Wolf and the Moon-Karliene**

 **TheonxOphelia: Emotional Celtic Music-She Who Watches**

 **JonxOphelia: Magic Fantasy Music-Precious Things Lay Hidden (emotional)**

 **One additional thing: In the reviews give me the ship name you like for one (or all) of these pairings. I've been trying to think of one for Robb, Theon, and Jon, but nothing comes to mind. So, be creative and tell me the names of the ships for the three pairings above (for example: In OUAT Fandom they call Captain Hook and Emma Swan, Captain Swan. In the Riverdale Fandom they call Betty and Jughead, Bughead). Next chapter, I will list all of them off and you guys decide which are the best ones for each ship! May the best name win. :D**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

1st P.O.V. Winterfell

Theon released me from his embrace and I smiled at him. He chuckled and moved a loose strand of hair out of my face. He got up from the floor and helped me stand up. He clutched my hand tightly as I wiped his eyes dry.

He hugged me again and lingered close to me as he pulled away. Theon seemed content, and he looked me over a couple times from head to toe.

"It's quite early for you to be up." He muttered.

My mind went back to the kitchens and Jon. My face flared up and I coughed into my hand. "Ahem...Oh, yes early...I uhh...I was hungry, so I...I...I got some jerky to eat and I ate it...and umm" I felt myself freeze from my stuttering as I saw the warm look on Theon's square face turn to one of suspicion.

"Why are you lying to me?" Theon asked in a slow voice. His embrace became tighter with each syllable pronounced.

"I'm not!" I said trying to deny it. I was fibbing and he knew it. Theon hated it whenever I lied to him, so we kept a policy that we would be honest with each other no matter how brutal or gut-wrenching the truth was.

"You are!" Theon's voice raised to a yell and a coldness went through my body. It was like I had stepped into an ice water bath without any clothes on. The frozen tone of his voice chilled me.

My eyes widened and I yelped in pain when he came even closer to me, his grip on my waist strangling my body. His eyes went dark and fathomless, his eyebrows furrowing down into a glare, his nose twisted into a snarl.

"Theon." I called to him. He didn't answer. It was like something had taken over his body. "Theon!" I said again in a louder voice. I put my hand on his cheek and he jerked away from me. Theon snapped out of whatever was possessing him and he blinked a couple times, causing the darkness that briefly inhabited him to flee. Theon's grip on me loosened and he took a step back from me.

It was quiet, save for the crackling and pops of the fire in the fireplace. I gave out a nervous laugh and knocked on his noggin. "Are you okay up there?"

He gave me a wary smile and said, "Aye. I am a little bone-weary, I must admit." I nodded in understanding. "Well no wonder you are acting this way! " I got behind him and ushered him out of my room.

Theon turned his head and gave me an incredulous look from the side of his fsce. "What are you doing?!"

I laughed at his facial expression. "You need rest! Go get some sleep."

"But we were talking!" He protested trying to turn around.

I kept pushing him forward. "Not anymore! You are tired and it is not healthy for a person to be in a constant state of exhaustion. Go to your room and sleep!"

Theon stopped himself short of the doorknob and turned to playfully glare at me. "Are you bossing me around?"

I quirked an eyebrow at him and grinned. "Don't I always?"

He chuckled deeply and retorted the question with, "No. Not in the least. Aye, well...you get some rest as well."

Once the door shut behind him, I let out a relieved sigh. I knew that if Theon kept on badgering me, I surely would've gave in and told him what happened between Jon and I. I didn't want him to know though. It's not that I was scared of what Theon would think or that I was ashamed of Jon, I just liked having this to myself. I didn't want it to be spoiled by Theon's teasing or even him knowing about it. This was my good memory for now and, when the time is right, I would tell Theon about it.

I touched my lips as I went back to my bed and laid down.

Why did Jon kiss me?

Later on, I would talk to him. I wanted to know what was going to happen between us now, or the lack thereof.

I slipped back under my blankets and snuggled closely to Ethaesper who had fallen back to sleep. I fell asleep as well.

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When I woke up again, the flames in my fireplace had reduced to nothing but a couple bright red embers. Even though the piping in Winterfell's walls were used to keep rooms warm, I liked mine a bit warmer than others. I threw the covers off of me and I walked to the fireplace where I threw in another log. I blew on the embers a bit and a fire roared to life.

Nodding in satisfaction, I stood in the middle of my room. I stretched my hands high above my head, and leaned down to touch my toes. I stood upright once more to feel my back 'pop' and I sat down at the end of my bed.

What was I going to do today?

I hated feeling idle, but I also did not want to see anyone. I was a bit ashamed of my actions. I felt bad that everyone had to go and search for me...but I had to leave. I could not stay within Winterfell and its imposing walls. I could not stay in a place where people whispered behind my back or looked at me with pity. I could not stay in the den of wolves that caused the deaths of my parents. Getting away allowed me to clear my head and find Ethaesper-

I suddenly stopped thinking and turned to my bed, where my sleeping bird was gone. Immediately starting to panic, I called out their name. "Ethaesper?! Where are you, Little Bird?" I went to the bed and hastily removed all the pillows and blankets. I got on my hands and knees and searched under the bed. It was bare under there, save for some dust.

I put the blanket and pillows back on my bed.

I felt like I couldn't let out a breath and the world was spinning around me. I gripped the headboard of my bed and started to breathe wildly. Where did they go?!

At that moment, my door opened and I heard an _"Eep-eep!"_

I turned to see Robb, standing in the middle of the doorway, holding a medium sized trunk with a fluffballed Ethaesper sitting contentedly on his shoulder. Now, I should let you know that I am no expert in birds or their mannerisms, but my chick seemed completely satisfied about something.

"Ethaesper!" I cried out, and ran over to Robb, where I cupped my chick in the palm of my hands, and nuzzled them against my cheek. "I'm so glad you're alright! You frightened me."

 _"Eep! Eep-eep!"_ I looked up at Robb, who was staring at me with an amused expression and said, "Leave it you to run off and come back with an animal." I stepped aside and let Robb come in. He set the trunk down in the middle of my room and turned back to me. He crossed his arms over his dark brown leather doublet and stared at me.

I grew a bit uncomfortable and I lowered Ethaesper down to hold them close to my chest. "Why did you take my bird?" I asked him in a quiet voice.

Robb rolled his Tully blue eyes and said, "I came in here earlier to check upon you. I found you sleeping and your bird hopping around the bed, chirping in hunger. I took them outside where-", Robb reached into his pocket and took out a couple of worms , "-I gave them some worms to eat. I squished them up though, that way it won't upset their stomach."

I looked at my chick who maintained their smug expression, and rolled my eyes. I forgot to feed them. Well, wasn't that great! I turned back to Robb and nodded at him "Thanks for feeding Ethaesper. That was really kind of you."

Robb raised a dark auburn eyebrow at me. "Ethaesper? I just called her Fluffy."

My eyes widened and I looked down at my bird in shock. "You're a girl?! All this time, I was starting to believe that you were male."

Ethaesper gave me a look that said, "What can you do about it?", and then nestled between my palms.

I looked back at Robb. "How can you tell?" I asked in an eagerness to find out how he figured it out.

Robb only smirked and cheekily answered. "Lack of male parts."

My cheeks flared up and Robb chuckled deeply at my reaction. I ended up giggling a bit, and I shook my head at his joke. I noticed the trunk he had been carrying after our laughs died down.

I gestured with my elbow to it. "What is that?"

Robb's smile from his laughter died down and his face turned to one of seriousness. "This? Ahh, yes, right." He put his hand in his other pocket and pulled out a scroll. He cleared his throat. "This is for you." Nodding, I went to put Ethaesper on the bed. She started to chirp and bounce about, mad that I put her down.

"Hush you!" I scolded lightly. "I shall hold you in a moment."

I walked over to Robb and hesitantly took the scroll from his outstretched hand. I unrolled it and read what was conscripted.

 _To My Little Bird,_

 _I know that you must be angry with me, and for that I will readily accept your scorn._

 _But please try to understand that when I lied, I was doing as I had sworn to do._

 _Looking back, this was not the wisest descion, and I would take it back in a heartbeat._

 _I love you, my precious girl. I wanted to give this trunk to you in person, but seeing that_

 _you are probably still angry, I will have Robb deliver it to you._

 _Please don't run away from this. It is apart of you._

 _With all my love,_

 _Lady Catelyn Stark._

I felt my breath shudder and I gave the scroll back to Robb.

"Take it."

"Why?"

A moment of silence passed as Robb unrolled the scroll and read it.

"My mother seems repentive." He stated kindly. I shook my head.

"I don't care if she is. I want nothing to do with the Pyralis family."

"You mean your family." Robb said bluntly. I swallowed thickly, nodding in agreement with him.

I turned away from him to face the wall behind my bed and crossed my arms. I glared ahead and said, "I don't want anything to do with that trunk. If what's in there, what I think it is, I don't want it...any of it." I heard footsteps behind me and I felt a hand on my shoulder.

" 'Felia...you need to look in there." Robb's voice left no room for objection. I hunched over and sighed.

Turning around, I said, "If you think I should...then I will." I sighed in defeat and walked over to the trunk. I knelt down on the stone floor in front of it. My fingers grazed the deep ornate engravings on it, tracing the dark brown wood. They went from it's round top to the front, where leather straps were holding it in place.

I looked up at Robb, who seemed uncomfortable. "I will take my leave." He started to walk away, but once he was near the door I felt my heart still in terror.

"Wait! Robb, please..." Robb turned to look at me with a quizzical countenance. I pleaded with my eyes and asked, "Will you stay with me...I can't face this alone."

He widened his Tully blue eyes in surprise for a mere second, then he gave me a small smile.

"Alright." He leisurely strolled over to where I was and knelt down next to me. Robb cocked his head to the side, removing my hand from the left leather strap that helped keep the trunk shut.

Robb held my hand for a moment. His palms were rough and he squeezed my hand right before letting it go.

"We'll open it when I count to the number three. Agree?" He asked me this in permission in order to ready myself for what we would find.

No matter how many times he asked me that, I knew I would not be ready.

But sometimes, when the waters to life are rough, you can't just lower yourself in-you need to dive head first.

I let out a shuddering breath and hesitantly nodded.

"Agreed."

Robb held a serious face and focused on his strap while I focused on mine.

"One." He counted.

"Two." I continued.

"Three." We both whispered. We unstrapped the buckles and lifted up the trunk lid.

I gasped when I looked into it and Robb muttered, "Holy shit."

I furrowed my eyebrows and my mouth gaped open. I looked at Robb, who chuckled in disbelief.

I reached into the trunk to pull out a hook shaped leather wrapping. I handed it to Robb who, after a brief moment, took it from me. He looked at me for permission and I nodded. He untied the leather strings that held the wrapping together, and opened it up on the floor.

"Oh my..." Was all I could say. Robb kept looking down at the weapons he unwrapped in a speechless surprise.

What was in the leather wrapping was an usual type of sword. They came in a pair, dual swords, if you will. They had big leather grips in the middle, and at the end, the swords were shaped into a point like a small dagger. The tops of the swords were shaped as hooks, looking even more formidable with jagged edges of the inward curve of the swords. On each sword, was an engraving in the metal, of a Phoenix taking flight leaving behind a trail of fire.

Robb picked one up, and it stretched from his ribs to the top of his head. He examined the sword and whistled in admiration. "These are Valyrian steel dual hook swords...I've never seen hook swords before. No one ever uses them, not even in Essos, or so I read."

I snorted, poking his side. "You read?"

He rolled his eyes and grinned a bit. "Oh shut it." His fingers traced the engraving.

"Wow...these are remarkable." I nodded in agreement, because I could not say anything. A pit of dread started to form in my stomach.

'Breathe.' I told myself. 'You need to just breathe.' Nodding assuredly, I went back to the trunk and pulled out a leather pouch with drawstrings.

I gripped it and looked at Robb who was still admiring the swords.

'I can do this.' I told myself. 'They are just objects. Nothing more, nothing less.' Even I couldn't believe that. These things represented people and places that were connected to me. A connection I never asked for.

I looked my grip and put two fingers in the pouch. I spread them, and opened it up. I tipped the bag over the palm of my other hand, and out came several hair pins. Hair pins made of gold and that had a pearl decorating the top of it.

I dropped it as if it had burned my palm and I wiped my hand against the side of my robe. I scooted away from the fallen pouch and scattered hair pins.

"Robb!" I exclaimed. He looked up from the swords and put the one he was holding down. Robb scrunched up his eyebrows at the sight of the expensive hair pins. He crawled over to where I threw them, and picked one up. He traced it with his thumb and muttered something to himself. Robb ran a hand through his thick, curly, auburn hair and asked, "Who were these people?"

I shook my head and shrugged.

Robb picked up the pouch from off of the floor and held it close to his eye, peering inside of it.

"OH GODS!" He exclaimed holding it away from him

I clutched my hands together in immense worry.

"What is it?!" I asked

Robb pulled a mess of stings from the pouch. "It's a hair net!" He answered sarcastically. Robb looked over at me with a twinkle in his eyes, and started to chortle at my glare.

I smacked him on the shoulder. "That's not funny!" I ground out.

He wiped his eyes and smiled at me. "Oh lighten up. Of course it is."

I huffed and glared away as he contined to chuckle.

Eventually, I stopped my pouting and crawled over next to him. I brang out the next item from the trunk as Robb picked up the hair pins and hair net, and put them back in the pouch.

I lifted up a bracelet next, one made up of pearls and rubies. I handed it to Robb who set it down next to the swords.

Next, I pulled out a piece of cloth. I kept pulling and pulling until I stood up and shook the dust off of it.

It was an orange silk gown, the color of a rare Northern sunset, and it had black embroidery on the front and the trim. The sleeves had black ribbons to tighten it and black silk proofs on the elbows. I stood and put the dress on my bed. I walked over to the trunk and peered in. There were only dresses left. The rest of the dresses were made up of cotton, linen, velvet, or muslin. I was surprised to see so many packed into such a tight trunk.

Each dress I took out was fashionable and well-made. I would take one dress out, shake the dust off, and lay it on my bed.

A total of eighteen dresses were inside that trunk.

After shaking off the last one, I laid it one the bed and put my hands on my hips, looking at all of them in disbelief.

"I am guessing that House Pyralis was not a destitute house." Said Robb. I heard him standing up.

"Where did your parents get these possessions?" I inquired. Robb walked next to me and felt the silk gown. He shook his head. "I have no answer for that. But I know who does."

I became confused and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.

"Who?"

"Father." He answered. I looked at him and sighed.

I didn't want to know about my family, but I was curious as to where Lord Stark maintained these things. If I didn't ask him about it, it would itch at the back of my mind relentlessly...

It would be difficult, but if it was the only way to get some answers, I would speak with him.

Folding up my arms, I reluctantly nodded. "I will talk to him."

Robb put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed it tightly. "Everything will be alright, Ophelia. If it is not alright, then you have yet to finish the end of the story."

I smiled in gratitude at him.

"Thank you, Robb...for everything."

Robb flashed me his charming grin and said, "That's what friends are for."

I looked behind me to the bath tub from last night and saw my only casual dress left, all wrinkled and covered in mud.

"I have nothing to wear." I mumbled.

Robb walked over to the side of my bed and pulled up one of the dresses.

"Of course you do." He handed one to me.

I shook my head at him. "I don't want to wear it."

Robb let out an annoyed sigh. " 'Felia, it's just a dress. A material object. You're wearing it, not marrying it. Nothing more, nothing less. It'd be a shame to let a dress this nice collect dust, when you could be showing it off." Blushing, I slowly grabbed it.

Robb gave me an approving smile and started to walk out of the room.

"I'll let you get dressed. When you're ready, I will escort you to Father's Solar." He left the room, making to sure to shut the door behind him.

I gripped the dress I was holding in my hand, and let out a breath of determination.

It was just a dress. Nothing more, nothing less.

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The dress Robb picked out was an intricate one, to say the least. Nothing like my simple yellow dress that I would wear when doing chores or the simple green one that I wore when I ran off.

To start with, this dress was technically two dresses. The first dress was a dark red, nearly brown, and had a shift attached to the interior of it. The shift was long and glared out from the cuffs of the sleeves. The sleeves buttoned up on the top of the forearms, being fastened with round brass buttons. The tops of the sleeves were detachable from the shoulders, so I had to lace them in place. I struggled to lace up the back, doing my best to tighten it, since it was so loose on the sides and the torso area.

The second part of the dress was a bright yellow, where it was low enough to reveal the high circle neckline of my shift. The short sleeves of this dress bunched up in the middle and the length of this dress was short in the front, but long in the back. Where it cut off in the front, the red dress flowed beneath it reaching to the floor.

I slipped on my flats and looked into the mirror. Even though this was a nice outfit, I hated how unfamiliar I looked. It was too complicated...too aristocratic...it wasn't me. Still, it was better than nothing. I re-did my hair into a braided bun. I nodded at myself and looked over at Ethaesper.

"Well...I'm off. Don't have any friends over while I'm gone." Ethaesper nibbled under her wing in response and I rolled my eyes.

I walked to the door, bucked up, and then exited out of the room, shutting the door behind me.

Robb was leaning against the opposite wall in the hallway. He had one foot against the wall and the other on the floor. Robb's arms were crossed and his eyes were closed in thought.

He opened his eyes when he heard my door shut and stared at me.

I started to scratch my arm in nervousness and I chuckled awkwardly.

"Do...I uhh...Do I look presentable?" Robb's eyes raked me over and he made a noise in his throat as he nodded in satisfaction.

"You look nice."

I stopped scratching my arm and smiled a tiny bit. "Really?"

Robb replied as he walked over to stand in front of me. "You'd give Cersei Lannister a run for her money."

My cheeks flared up and I looked away in embarrassment at his statement. "Thanks." I mumbled quietly.

I looked up to Robb who smiled at me and bent down. He lifted up my skirt, but before I could protest about his wandering hands, he started to lace up my shoes.

"I saw the laces sticking put from the hem of your dress." Robb stated as he moved onto the right shoes, lacing it up quickly. He finished, patting me on the ankle and lowered my skirts down as he stood up to face me.

"Ready to go?" He asked me.

"Yes. We'd best get on with it." I stated firmly and linked my arm through his.

He squeezed my arm tightly and led me towards the Solar. I gripped Robb's arm as we passed by the kitchens.

And it was just my luck that I saw the one person who was on my mind all morning...

"Jon!" Robb called out. Jon was in front of us by several feet and was going towards the way we came. Jon saw us and started to walk towards us. I started to breathe heavily.

My eyes widened and I jerked Robb to look at me. He gave me a quizzical appearance and I shook my head.

"I don't want to talk to him!"

Robb leaned into me and asked , "Why not? He's here, just get it over with." Oh...right. Robb still thought Jon and I were not speaking, due to my comments about his baseborn status a couple days ago.

I started to panic and my heart began beating wildly. "Robb, please! No!"

Robb stood there and gave me, for lack of better words, a shit eating grin. "Time to slay your dragons, Ophelia."

"What?! No! I can't. I need- Oh! Hello Jon!" I said putting on a cheery voice and a sunny smile. I stood up straight and looked Jon in the eyes.

He looked me over and, for a moment, time stopped. His Stark grey eyes met mine and he gave me a once over. Jon's eyes started to develop the look that he had when he kissed me in the kitchens. My knees went weak and my breath got caught in my throat. Jon cut the tethered connection between us when he closed his eyes, and opened them to look away from me.

"Robb, Ophelia." Jon acknowledged stiffly keeping his gaze solely on his brother.

"How is your morning?" Robb asked. Jon glanced to see our linked arms and answered casually, "It could be better."

Before I could put my say in, Jon crossed his arms and furrowed his ever-so-worried eyebrows at us. "Since when do the two of you walk together...or even speak to one another?"

"Since I decided that I wanted to renew our friendship." I stated, gripping onto Robb's arm.

Jon's eyes narrowed and I mentally slapped myself. Why couldn't I just talk right?! 'Stop being so awkward!' I scolded myself internally.

It was silent. I stared ahead at the curly-haired baseborn son of Eddard Stark and he stared back at me.

Finally, Robb saved us all from the tense air of this confrontation when he said, "Well, it's not that this isn't fun, but I have to escort 'Felia here to Father. I'll will see you later on today in the tilt yard. Eh, Snow?"

Jon's eyes flickered between the pair of us, and stood up straight. He nodded and replied, "Aye. See you soon, Stark." Jon bumped shoulders with Robb and stalked off. Robb and I looked at Jon's retreating back.

"Perhaps he is still sore from your comments." Robb suggested as we went on our way.

I fiddled with the side of my dress and said, "Yes...I suppose he is." It was a lie, Robb would never know that. Like I said earlier, I needed to keep what happened between Jon and I secret.I was selfish in that way.

We walked to the base of stairs that led up to Solar.

Robb removed his arm from mine and stood to face in front of me.

"Wait...aren't you going to come up with me? I thought you were escorting me to the Solar." I asked Robb in confusion.

"You are at the Solar." Robb pointed out. My palms started to sweat as I looked at the staircase, then back at Robb. "Please come up with me!" I blurted out nervously.

He shook his head and held both of my hands. "Slay your dragons, Ophelia. One at a time." He squeezed them and walked away. I looked up the stairs and exhaled deeply.

"I can do this." I whispered to myself.

Gently, I lifted up the hem of my skirts and slowly treaded up the stone steps. I came to that familiar corridor, with the window at the end.

I shivered at the memory of the last time I was here. I pushed it to the back of my mind and stood in front of the door. Balling my right hand up into a fist, I knocked on the thick wooden door.

No answer. Before I knocked again, I took my hair down in a self-conscious fret. Feeling more protected, I knocked again. After a brief pause, I heard Lord Stark say, "Come in."

I twisted the doorknob and opened the door. I peered my head in and looked around the room. Everything was a mess. Papers were strewn about everywhere, maps were strung up throughout the room, and a dying fire was dwindling down in the fireplace.

My eyes widened at the state of disarray in this room. It was so messy and my fingers twitched involuntarily at the sudden compulsion to tidy everything up.

I looked at a sitting Lord Stark, and clutched onto the side of the open door. "May I come in?" I asked him, surprised that my voice came out so softly. My hair started to fall in front of my face, making a curtain of wavy locks as I peeked at Lord Stark.

He was tired-looking, which made me feel a pang of guilt. It was my fault he was so tired...yet that did not diminish the fact that he lied to me. I felt my anger rise up again, but I pushed it down with all my might. This was not the time for petty emotions.

Lord Stark gave me a world-weary smile and replied, "Of course. We have many things to discuss."

Bowing my head, I entered into the room and shut the door. I walked over to the chair in front of Lord Stark's desk, smoothed out my dress, and sat down.

Lord Stark looked me over and said, "I see you've received the trunk."

"I have."

It was quiet. I fiddled my thumbs together, then I put my hands on both armrests. It was time for one of us to speak, so I decided to go first.

"My Lord...I wanted to say thank you. I realize that I had never properly given my regards when acknowledging those who helped persecute my assailants in Wintertown, so thank you for helping with that whole ordeal." Lord Stark looked surprised. "Aye. Honor called me to help, and I have done so."

Nodding, I continued to speak, "I would also like to apologize. I realize that running off was something that I should not have done. I don't know what came over me..." My voice trailed off and I looked at Lord Stark staring at me. He crossed his arms and a rare smile twitched at the corner of his lips.

"I...uhh..." I was starting lose my lucky stroke of confidence and I started to scratch my arm in nervousness.

"I umm...I...I understand that you went through so much, trying to find me. I...I am so sorry for running off. What I was told..." I paused to let out a deep breath "It was a lot of information to absorb. All I wanted to do in that moment was run and keep running. Anywhere, really...as long as I didn't have to face the facts I had been given here. I hope you can accept my apology."

Lord Stark rubbed the back of his head, near his tied up bun and he breathed out. He began to talk.

"Child, I am aware of the situation you've been put into. I know that all of this can be so difficult, it muddles up the head. If it were my choice, you would never have been placed under such hard circumstances. I accept your apology...if you accept mine."

My mouth opened into an 'O' and I closed it. Lord Stark wanted to...apologize?

He shook his head and stood up. Lord Stark walked around to sit on the front edge of his desk. "Ever since you were born, your safety was placed into my hands. I accepted the weight of that descion willingly. I am thankful that you grew up happy and healthy...but I realize that one cannot run away from the pains of the past."

My breath shuddered and tears stung my eyes. 'Don't cry', I told myself as Lord Stark got down on his knees in front of me and spoke in a very remorseful voice, "I promised to protect you, but I have hurt you by keeping secrets. I have caused you pain by the actions that I have taken to ensure your safety. I have caused irreparable grief by causing the death of your parents...of a mother and father you will never meet, because of me. So I ask that you forgive me, Eddard of House Stark, for these trespasses I have committed against you and House Pyralis. I swear by the Old Gods and the New that I will do my best to no longer hurt you more than I have already. On my honor, as a Stark, you will no longer be hurt by my hand, voice, or actions."

The resolve I was saying to myself broke upon hearing the words he was speaking.

My anger at him extinguished.

I covered my face to hide that I was crying.

Now, I know that a rational person would not forgive the murderer of their parents. But I have never met my birth mother or birth father. They were gone, the memory of them like ashes scattered in the wind. But Lord Stark...he was my father in every way that counted. He raised me and loved my alongside his other children. He never made me feel less than, even if his children sometimes did, he always made sure I felt accepted. All this grief and anger and confliction that I felt...it was because he lied to me. Yes, he killed my parents and, while some part of me will always be angry at him for that, all I needed to hear was a sincere apology.

And Lord Stark is not an insincere person.

I kept my face covered with my hands as the hot tears trailed down my cheeks and dripped off of my chin. Slowly, I removed them and I wiped my face. Nodding, I whispered, "I forgive you."

Lord Stark stood up and pulled me into a hug as I cried. Everything came spilling out. "I am so sorry for everything! I am sorry for being here...for being a burden. I'm sorry for putting you through so much...I just was so angry and I didn't know how to handle any of it. I'm sorry."

I will never know what compelled me to say those words. I will never, in my life, fully understand the complexity of the relationship between me and the Starks. Everything between us is contradictory. I loved them for raising me, but I hated them for causing the deaths of my parents. I was happy for them and their picturesque family, but I was occasionally unhappy that their family excluded me. I admired their love for me, but sometimes detested their unorthodox ways of raising me.

Still, after everything, if I had to choose one emotion out of the six that I described, I would say that Love is the most prevalent. I wanted the pain to be over, and if forgiveness was the only way to release myself from those hurtful binds, then I would forgive...for most of what happened at least.

Lord Stark pulled me away from him and he looked at me with the eyes that Jon inherited. "You were never a burden." He said quietly.

I was speechless. Lord Stark let me go and gave me a fatherly smile. I gave him a small smile back and wiped my wet cheeks.

"Now...", Lord Stark began, walking around to sit behind his desk, "I think you may have some questions that need answers."

It was like he read my mind and I nodded. Lord Stark leaned back and made a "go forth' gesture with his left hand and said, "Ask what you please."

Feeling unsure of myself, I didn't know where to begin. "I...uh...who does the trunk belong to?"

"It belongs to you." Lord Stark stated this with a bluntness eerily similar to Robb. That made a smile play at the left corner of my mouth.

"I...I know that, but who was the previous owner of it?"

Lord Stark started to explain about the trunk. "The trunk was Lady Stark's. It arrived here when she did. The possessions in the trunk, however-", Lord Stark took a deep breath and continued, "-they are what is left of your parents, and by extension, your family." He gestured to the dress I was wearing. "I can see you familiarised yourself with some of the items in the chest." I straightened out the skirt of my mother's dress in nervousnes and started to fumble with my thumbs.

"My family..." I parroted. I stopped fumbling my thumbs and clasped them tightly. "My Lord...I forgive you for your lies and the hurt that was inflicted upon my person. But I don't want anything to do with my family...at least not yet. My parents though..." My voice trailed off as I thought about the ghostly memory of my mother and father, "little by little...I would like to know every day."

To me, my parents and my family were separate. My family was one she group of people. They were myy cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. They were a whole category of strangers that I would have to memorize, in order to know about. My parents, they were only two people. But there was probably so much about them, that I needed to learn about them exclusively. I decided to stick with only learning about them for the time being, and when I was ready, I would ask about my family.

Lord Stark sat up straight and made a 'go forth' gesture with his left hand. "On this day, what would you like to know."

Deciding to steer clear of anything involving death, I asked questions about the items in the trunk. I also decided to stick with one parent. I chose my father. Any questions about my mother I would ask My Lady, since she claimed that she knew her intimately. I made a mental note to apologize to My Lady eventually. Anyways, this way of getting to know my mother and father was better...it was a way for me to ease in.

"Did those swords...the hook ones...did they belong to Rowan, to my father?" I asked while twiddling my thumbs again.

Lord Stark rubbed his hand in his beard and chuckled deeply. "His name was Rowtag-" "Rowtag." I whispered to myself, making sure I would remember it next time. "-and yes, they are his. He obtained them one year in Volantis."

I perked up upon hearing this. My father went to Essos?

"My father went to Volantis?" I asked in astonishment.

"Aye. He was a traveller, that one. Rowtag loved to travel. He hated the idea of settling in one place. He was always moving, always on a journey to some faraway land. The longest he stayed in one location was only two years, but anywhere else he never stayed long. The only exception to this was his first nine years of life. The Wall, Dorne, Volantis, even the Shadowlands of Asshai. Your father has visited them all." My heart swelled upon hearing this. I was taken aback by my reaction upon hearing this. It was like each fact Lord Stark listed off, made me fulfilled and put a pebble to fill the hole in my heart. Maybe...just maybe...hearing about my father wasn't so bad...

"Where else did he go?" I questioned in eagerness. I leaned forward in my chair, placing each hand on an armrest.

Lord Stark leaned back and smiled as he spoke. "The better question is where didn't he go. Your father visited nearly every corner of this world. No matter the danger a place or city posed, he always had a certain wanderlust to explore. From the mere age of ten, he started his travels."

Something about this statement caught my attention. "My Lord, you said my father started his journeys at ten...did this mean you knew him when he was that age?"

Lord Stark's gaze twinkled with fondness as they lit up in remembrance, the corners of his eyes wrinkling into crow's feet. "Aye. I did. I met your father at that age. Winterfell was the first place he ever visited. He came with your grandfather. He was older than me by six years, older than your mother by seven. I was still a small child, only four, but I can still remember the boy with oddly colored hair arriving through the gates."

I grinned widely at this. "What did he look like?"

Lord Stark looked thoughtful for a moment before he answered. "When he was a child, he was chubby. Much like you were. He had those dark crimson-eyes that you have. His hair was wavy and was so black, that it shined blue in the light. When he became a man, he became lean and strong...very strong. His body had many scars...your father, he loved to fight. He studied all sorts of styles of fighting...Westorsi, Dorthraki, even Water Dancing. Rowtag had many scars from it all, but he never minded."

Subconsciously, I touched the scars on my back from the whipping. 'Why didn't he mind?" I asked softly as I traced the places on the fabric of my dress where the raised criss-crossed lines on my skin were hiding underneath.

Noticing my actions, Lord Stark gave me a soft smile. "Because he said each scar was a story he could tell. He was optimistic in that sense. He was never sad about it. He simply stood up and moved on."

I was astonished. "Wow! That's amazing. Did you go anywhere with my father?"

Lord Stark nodded. "We both went to Skagos together, but that was it. He had a travelling companion who was my brother, Brandon's, age. His name was Gellian and he was younger than your father. You could never find one without the other. Gellian travelled with him for years, until Rowtag was twenty-two. Gellian decided to become a knight and stopped travelling in order to pursue a knighthood."

"Why did my father like to travel?"

Lord Stark smiled a great big grin at this question. "Asides from hating the idea of settling down, or 'becoming part of the mundane' as he liked to call it, your father loved people. Rowtag thought meeting new people and learning about different cultures was a better way to educate a person than through books and politics. He would say that if you knew someone else's wisdom, you were less likely to make a mistake in the future."

I sat back. I never knew what to think when I learned about my parents. I thought they were going to be the same as most Lords and Ladies...but I was wrong. My father...he sounded like a fantastical man...someone I probably would've loved very much.

"Did he ever settle?" I asked Lord Stark in curiosity.

Lord Stark nodded and rubbed the back of his head. "He did. For two years he remained in one place."

"Where?" I was amazed. What was the one place that he stayed for two years? What about it held a charm to captivate this wanderer of the world?

Lord Stark's smile died down a notch when he answered, "Highgarden."

My family home...I remembered the sorry My Lady told me. Highgarden was the seat of House Pyralis.

"Highgarden? He went home? That doesn't sound like him." I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

Lord Stark nodded in agreement. "You're right. It wasn't him. A piece of him died when he returned home. He missed the travels and adventures."

"Why did he go home?" I inquired, sad for my father and his lost years abroad.

Lord Stark sighed before answering. "Your grandfather, the Warden of the South and Lord of Highgarden, died. Rowtag had a duty to fulfill, and even though it killed him to set aside his wanderlust ways, he stepped up to become Lord, just as what was expected from him. He was sad, or so I heard. It was as though the light had snuffed out of him. But in the end he found his happiness again."

My heart jumped a little. "How did he find his happiness?"

Lord Stark gave me a wide grin and said, "He fell in love with your mother." My jaw-dropped and I let out a singular laugh in disbelief. He fell in love...with my mother. He found his light in her.

"My Lord...", I asked slowly, making sure I was right about my upcoming statement, "are you saying that my parents did not have an arranged marriage? That they married for love?"

Lord Stark actually blushed a light hint of red as he rubbed his head again. "Yes, they loved each other very much. Funny enough though..", He coughed into his hand and looked away from me, "I was nearly betrothed to your mother."

My jaw-dropped to the floor and my eyes buldged out of my head. In another life, Lord Stark and my mother could've married. I would've been his daughter...Holy Mother of Sardines.

My arms flailed wildly as I asked him about what he just said. "You...my mother...you almost married my mother?!"

He let out a boisterous laugh. "I almost did. But she wouldn't have me. I was not the only one she rejected either. At least four others came before she laid me flat." Lord Stark said this with admiration and amusement.

I sat back in silence. I think Robb had the right question earlier: Who were these people?

Smiling, I stood up and looked at Lord Stark. "Thank you", I said.., "for sharing about my father and my mother. I am grateful." Lord Stark nodded and stood up. "It was my pleasure, Ophelia. If you have anymore questions, feel free to ask." My heart and soul was on it's way to being healed, I gave Lord Stark one more grateful look before I left the room. I closed the door softly and I leaned against it in breathless wonder.

My parents...they were amazing. What was I scared of? My family...that I was still weary learning about for some reason. My parents though...I wanted to learn all that I could. It was right then that I knew that learning about them a little every day wouldn't do it for me. I wanted...no... I NEEDED more information on them. I came to the realization of something. I immediately ran to the end of the corridor and down the stairs. I passed many people and ran up some steps into a hall, when I got the the door I wanted to.

I had been given a taste of intoxicating knowledge and I yearned for more. I knew I could handle it.

My knuckles rapted on the door and when it opened I smiled through my happy tears at the fire-haired women, who stood shocked at seeing me.

I launched myself towards her, and hugged her middle tightly. She didn't hug me back, as she was still shocked at seeing me in my mother's dress and sudden appearance.

"Ophelia?" She asked surprised at seeing me.

"Will you tell me about my mother?" I asked, my heart skipping at the thought of her saying no.

This was my way of making things right, I was sure of it. I could see her immediate willingness delve into her past with my mother.

My Lady's face lit up as she hugged me back tightly. She pulled away and put her forehead to mine. Her eyes watered in happiness and she kissed my forehead. I hugged her tightly, and pulled away again. My Lady had one arm around my shoulders as she led me into her room. "Of course. I will tell you anything you wish to know." She shut the door behind us, and we began to talk.

 **So, Ophelia is starting to embrace who her parents were lol Little Bird is coming around. She was a bit apprehensive at first, but after the initial shock wore off, her curiosity about them became insatiable after talking with Ned. She's forgiven the Starks for their lies and is willing to look ahead! :) After all, she's not the type to hold grudges...unless your name is Robb haha. And surprise, Ethaesper is a girl and Ophelia got a trunk full of (kinda) new things! Yay! Next Chapter: Ophelia learns a bit about her mother, gets some news from Cat, and speaks with Jon about their encounter in the kitchens.** **If we could get this up to 53 reviews, that would be awesome! Anyways Read, Review, and Rest Easy! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**(Sits in a pillow fort in an effort to hide my blushing face. Notices my readers enter the room.) Oh, hello! Here is the new chapter, all shiny and new! Anyways, how about that season finale though?! I screamed with joy when Jon and Daenerys got together. I might have also screamed 'FUCK YOU JONSA SHIPPERS!'. And holy man buns of steel, Batman! Dat ass though lol. Man, this show is really messing with my morals. XD Anyway, thank you to everyone who reviewed. It made me so happy to see your reactions to Rowtag and bits and pieces about him. Hopefully you can give me your opinions on Seraphine and her life! :) Holy Crap, 50 favorites and 75 follows?! Awww! I love you guys so much.**

 **So here are the ship names as presented by CLTex and darkwolf76: Robelia, Jophelia, and Opheon. Last chapter, I said I wanted you to vote for the best names, but there's only three submissions and for all three ships so...(awkwardly coughs into hand) HERE ARE THE WINNERS! IT WAS A COMBINED EFFORT! YAY! (Throws confetti at CLTex and darkwolf76).**

 **Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but Ophelia and House Pyralis and Ethaesper!**

 **Warning: Mild Mature Adult Content near the end of this chapter. Shield your innocent eyes if you must! Or don't. Better you learn stuff on fanfiction than in the streets, am I right? (Sees everyone giving me blank stares and weirded out looks.) Ah well, you can't win them all. (Shrugs and goes back in my pillow fort to hide my blushing face).**

1st P.O.V. Winterfell

My Lady shut the wooden door behind us and smiled sweetly at me. I scratched the bottomside of my forearm and tucked a piece of stray hair behind my right ear. I looked down in shame.

"I'm sorry for being such a pain, My Lady." I blurted this out loudly and turned my gaze from the stone floor upwards to her pointed face. Her expression turned to one of patience and understaning. "I would never want to hurt you or Lord Stark. You've given me all that I ever needed. You put a roof over my head, food in my stomach, and clothes on my back." My eyes started to sting with that familiar water and I felt my voice quiver upon speaking. "I love you very much, and I ask that you forgive me for acting so unbecoming."

My Lady's face twitched as she held in her own weeps and she pulled me into a strong hug. She stroked my wavy-haired head and said, "Oh Little Bird, there is nothing to forgive." She pulled her red head a way from me and looked me over. My Lady let out a laugh as she saw what I was wearing. "You look so beautiful. Your dress suites you. Though, it was one of your mother's least favorites."

I scrunched my nose up in slight disgust as I examined my clothing. "I can see why. This was a difficult gown to get into, not to mention it is loose in some areas."

Her laughter grew as she guided me to the small round table we usually have our tea at. We sat down and My Lady held my hands. Her voice grew hopeful and sad as she clutched them. She looked at me with those Tully blue eyes and gave me a wistful smile.

"She was carrying you when she commissioned the dress to be made. Oh Little Bird, I have been waiting for years to tell you about your mother."

It was with those words that it hit me. It was probably horribly painful for My Lady to watch the daughter of one of her closest friends grow up. How hurtful it must've been to not be able to tell that girl all about how much she loved her mother or all the memories that involved that girl's mother. How traumatic it must've been to watch that girl grow up, without her mother guiding her.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. I decided to start with the beginning. "When did you meet my mother?" I asked, wiping my eyes to prevent any tears from escaping. Perhaps the beginning would be the best.

My Lady's face lightened a bit and she sat up, holding my hands with one hand as she wiped tears from her cheeks. Her mouth turned upwards and a small laugh let out from her. 'Well", My Lady began as she put her hand down back on mine, "I can't remember."

I pulled back a bit and looked at her confusedly. "How can you not remember? I though you said she was your closest friend..." My voiced faded at my statement.

My Lady blinked. "She was my closest friend. The reason I don't remember meeting her was because she and I were introduced when we were a year old."

My eyebrows shot up into my hairline and I leaned in. "Why were you introduced at that age?" It was uncommon. Was my mother a Tully? Was she related to My Lady?

My Lady chucked as looked down at the floor then back at me. "Your grandmother died giving birth to your mother. Her father, your grandfather, was incredibly distraught. He locked himself in his Solar for days, not willing to see anybody. You see-", My Lady took a breath as she continued her story, "-your grandmother already had given birth three other times before she managed to bring a living babe into the world. That babe was Analia, your mother's older sister."

I ignored the feelings of disregard towards hearing about other family members. I knew that if it was not essential to my mother's story, My Lady would not tell me about them. Well, my eyes became huge when I heard this piece of information. "My mother had a sister? I had an aunt?!"

My Lady nodded. "Yes, Analia was your aunt. When Analia was born, the Maester confirmed she could not walk. She was born a cripple. Analia...", My Lady's eyes became distant as she remembered my aunt, "she was one of the most kind-hearted people I ever met. She was always sick and was confined to a chair her whole life, but Analia was always smiling...always happy." My Lady tucked a loose piece of hair behind my ear and held her palm to my cheek. "Much like you." I looked down at our hands and gripped them tighter. She out her hand back down and her voice went on with the story of my mother.

"Your grandfather was determined to have a son though. Within a couple months your grandmother was with child. She had your mother and died while birthing her. As I said before, your grandfather was very sad. By the time your mother was ten months old, your grandfather sent a raven to my father and mother asking if they could take her in. He could not bare to look at her. He felt that he had too many worries, with Analia and everything else in his life. My father had a good relationship with the Pyralis family, so he agreed. Your mother arrived at Riverrun on her first nameday."

I looked up at My Lady and my eyebrows shot up as I grasped what she was saying. "You mean to tell me you've known my mother your entire life?"

My Lady's smile faded and her lips became a thin, pink, straight line. "I did...until she died." She looked away and then spoke again. "I had known your mother longer than I have my sister, Lysa."

I squeezed My Lady's hands in reassurance. She looked back at me with her Tully blue eyes and sighed before going on with her story. "I was closer to her than my own sister, and every day I miss her... She was my twin." My Lady let go of me and stood up. She clasped her hands in front of her and walked around the table to stand in front of the warm hearth. Her red hair cascaded down her back in a simple plait and her shoulders moved up and down with every deep breath she took.

I decided to ask her questions, perhaps it would be easier to ask about certain things than have My Lady tell the entire story. "What was your favorite memory of my mother?"

My Lady answered with her back still turned to me. "There are too many to choose from. I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the sky. However, one of the many that does stick out prominently was when we were eleven."

My Lady turned around, her eyes now red and her cheeks wet again, but she was smiling like she had just received very good news. "Lysa became mad at the two of us. She was angry because whenever she wanted to play, she could never find us on the first try. I was either in Sera's room or she was in mine. One day Lysa became so furious she shouted, 'If you are both are so fond of each other, why don't you go and live together?!' It was meant to be an insult, a perverse one, but your mother, she looked at me with great big crimson eyes and said, 'Cat, I think your sister is the smartest person alive!' With a single look we knew what the other was thinking. We both ran to my father, who was in the middle of listening to the troubles of his people in the Great Hall. We did not want to interrupt, so we stood in the back of the line behind some goat farmers."

My Lady laughed through her tears as she said, "When the goat farmers left, my father was shocked to see us in the line of people. He thought we were playing a game, so he asked us, 'What troubles you? What can the Lord of Riverrun do to ease your tribulations?' Your mother marched straight up to my father, her head held high and her back straight, as she looked him in the eyes. She dragged me behind her, for I was too scared to ask my father myself, and said, 'Lord Tully, I ask you that I share a room with your daughter Catelyn, preferably hers because it has a window seat.' My father was highly amused. He pretended to glare at us, then asked, 'And if I refuse this request?' Sera just glared at him back and said, 'Then I would ask for a trial by combat. And if I were to lose, then I will just have Cat move into my room.' My father grinned at us, like a cat that had cream for it's supper, and said 'Well, it seems that I have no choice but to grant your request.' He slammed the gavel on the table to make it final. We were so happy we jumped up and down screaming and laughing, crying out, 'WE DID IT! WE DID IT!' as if we had won a major battle, when in reality, we just wanted Sera to move down the hall. By the end of the day, Sera and I did not move into each other's rooms, but rather, my father gave us one of the larger guest rooms in the far end of the castle to use as our own and he converted our former rooms to guest quarters. Lysa was so furious about it, she did not speak to us for a fortnight, even though we credited that it was her idea to begin."

Laughter bubbled up from chest and rang out with loud volume. "So you shared a room? For how long?"

My Lady beamed in remembrance of the room and the Great Hall and my mother. "Until we left Riverrun to marry."

I smirked as I asked My Lady this next question. "Did my mother leave early to marry Lord Stark?"

My Lady gaped at me in surprise. "You knew about that?"

I giggled. "Lord Stark told me just now in his Solar."

My Lady rolled her eyes. "I didn't think he would ever mention that. No-", My Lady walked back to her chair and sat down, "-they were never formally engaged. At the time, I was engaged to Lord Stark's brother, Brandon, and Seraphine's father was in talks of betrothing her to Ned. I wanted her to marry him, that way we would truly be sisters and she would be able to come up North with me."

"Did they not like each other?" I asked her, sensing there was more to what Lord Stark had previously told me.

My Lady leaned back as she shook her head. "Your mother was excited at first, she thought it was a marvelous idea. Even though she was fostered at Riverrun, for three months every year she would go back to Highgarden to spend time with her father and sister. During one of those months, your father took her to a tourney held at Harrenhal. I'm not sure what happened, but when your mother returned back to Riverrun, she was set on marrying your father."

I gasped as I realized what she said. "You said my mother would go back to Highgarden...I thought Highgarden was the seat of House Pyralis. If she was from another house, why would she go to Highgarden."

My Lady scrunched her red eyebrows in confusion. "Your mother was not from a different house. She was a Pyralis, the same as your father."

My stomach dropped, as did my jaw, at this revelation.

I felt bile raise up into my throat and I swallowed it back down. "Do you mean go tell me that my mother and father were related?!"

"Of course. They were first cousins." My Lady answered this in plainess, as if it were the normality of society.

I shot up from my seat and made a disgusted face. "That's repulsive! Who would marry their relative?"

My Lady gave me a fond smile and replied, "Initially, we were all put off by Seraphine announcing that she was going to marry Rowtag, because she never wanted to participate in her family's practice of inbreeding, but if anyone saw the two together, no one could deny how much love there was between them. Rowtag...he was different. He wasn't like all the other Lords that sought her hand. He rejected her before he married her."

My face fell slightly and I furrowed my eyebrows together. "I thought you said they loved each other?"

"Oh, they did. But Rowtag was very put off by the idea of marrying his younger cousin, though when they did marry it was not unheard of, as it was common knowledge that nearly all members of House Pyralis were practitioners of inbreeding. However, everyone just expected them to marry other people. You see, Little Bird, Rowtag would travel often. He was always somewhere new, somewhere foreign, somewhere exotic. But once a year, every year, he would return to Highgarden for a short period of time. On his way to the Reach, he would make sure to stop at Riverrun and visit Seraphine. Every year he would bring her something from his travels. She would look forward to those visits more than anything." My Lady rubbed her hands together and put them on her lap. She stared off distantly.

"One year, the year before the tourney, Rowtag returned to Highgarden for good. His father had died, and it was his place to become Lord. He was horribly depressed. When Seraphine visited, she managed to get him to cheer up. He began to see her as someone else...someone intelligent and loyal and funny. I remember Seraphine telling me that she admired him because he did not look at the structure of her face, but judged her by the structure of her heart. That's when he began to push her away."

My eyes widened and I scratched my arm in nervousness. "Why did he push her away?"

My Lady sighed. "Rowtag knew of Seraphine's opinions about incest, because he shared those exact sentiments. This was evident when the first person who came from her hand was their cousin, Prince Rhaegar."

"The Prince wanted to marry my mother?!" I exclaimed in shock.

"He did. He was fifteen and she was eleven. He rode to Riverrun with a host of Targaryen men, accompanied by her father, and asked her to marry him when she came of age. Seraphine merely said ,"Cousin, I applaud your efforts in trying to wed me, but frankly, the idea of bedding you makes me want to empty my stomach."

My mouth fell open and My Lady laughed at the memory. "She did not say that!"

My Lady grinned and nodded. "Oh she did! The hall went quiet, and everyone was tense. I remember not being able to let out a breath for fear of what would happen. Then, out of the silence, came a loud laugh. It was Rhaeger. He was highly amused by her reply and had to sit down due to not being able to breathe. Soon, everyone started to laugh as well...except for her father. He walked straight up to Seraphine, pulled her from the room, and shouted at her in the hall to accept the Prince's proposal. Everyone could hear her yelling that she did not want to marry the Prince. Rhaegar soon left to speak to the both of them and all who were present could hear him say, 'If she does not want to marry, I will not force her. I would rather not have a wife that destests me.' That year, your mother did not go to Highgarden. Her father was quite livid with her."

"Why would my mother do that?!" I was surprised that anyone would turn down a royal betrothal, even if it was to their cousin. Though, I could understand her. I would not want to marry anyone I shared blood with nor would I want to be royal in any way. I would be just fine living in peaceful solitude with no eyes on me.

"Your mother was never one to settle for anything less than ideal. She wanted the best of everything, and to her individual perspective, Rhaegar was not the best. That as well as her belief on marrying relatives."

I giggled thinking about how troubling that must have been for my grandfather. "Lord Stark said that she rejected four other suitors before him. Do you know who they were?"

My Lady tapped her chin in thought. "Let me see...first there was the Prince. Despite it being a scandal that she rejected the Prince, she still had others pining for her hand. It was either for her connections to the royal crown, her family's position, or for her looks. The next man she rejected was Oberyn Martell. Seraphine could not stomach the idea of having an unfaithful partner, and as many knew, Oberyn would not stay in one bed. After that there was Stannis Baratheon. Seraphine said she would rather stick her eye out with a knife than marry a codder like Stannis. And the fourth, Jaime Lannister."

"Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, he wanted to marry my mother?"

"Not as much him, but more Tywin Lannister did. Tywin had originally planned for Jaime to marry my sister, Lysa, but when he heard that a Pyralis was being fostered at Riverrun...he had set his sights on your mother. He knew that the Reach was more wealthy and influential, and that by marrying Jaime to your mother, his son would be in the line of succession, should anything happen to the Royal family."

I felt my face freeze. Something about Tywin Lannister's intentions chilled me to the bone. "And what did my mother have to say about that?"

"She only said one word: No."

"How was she allowed to reject all these men? Surely her father would've made her marry at least one of them."

My Lady's face twisted into one of discomfort. "House Pyralis...they were an odd house to say the least. I generally liked their quirkiness, but others found it unsettling."

I became confused. "Quirkiness? What do you mean?"

"Well...to begin with, very rarely did they have betrothals or arranged marriages. This stemmed from their roots as slaves, as well as from the story of Nuri and Seraphina. Nearly every single Pyralis hated the idea of forcing someone to do something they did not want to do. However, your grandfather, was more traditional. He thought that arranged marriages were advantageous, and since he had no sons and no one wanted to marry Analia, Seraphine was his saving grace. But when word got out that he was in talks with different houses for a marriage to his daughter", My Lady bit her lip in order to keep herself from laughing, "the wrath of the Seven Hells was brought down upon him by his entire family."

I shook my head while chuckling. "And was it so bad that they did not have arranged marriages?"

"It was just not done. It still is not done."

"Ahh...I see. So, what else was 'quirky'?

"Hmm...they never wore shoes. With the exception of your mother, father, and grandfathers, no one wore shoes. Seraphina, the enchantress, never wore shoes, so her family never did. They believed that if you walked barefoot, you could connect to nature more intimately."

I smiled. "That is a bit odd."

My Lady laughed. "It was very odd. Oh, another odd tradition was whenever a Pyralis married, during the ceremony the bride had to wear floral wreaths on her head and a piece of Eyefire somewhere else. Both man and woman would have to decorate each other's face with a unique pattern of ash and would have to leave it there until the bedding ceremony."

"Did my mother and father do that?" I asked eagerly.

My Lady grinned and nodded. "I was there when they were married. They did do that, and it was quite beautiful."

For a moment, just a single solitary moment, I wondered what it would have been like to live the life I was supposed to live. To never wear shoes, to be surrounded by a vast amount of people I could call family. To have a sweet aunt, to have a stern grandfather, to be familiar with the Targaryens. I wondered what it would be like for me, a Northerner by birth, to be Southern and fanciful. To never worry about the harsh cold of Winter, to bask in the warm breezes of Summer, to never work for my keep. Would I have many silk dresses, necklaces made out of pearls, and jewelry of Eyefire? I thought about how nice it must be to have a maternal figure in my life I could actually call Mother, without it being inappropriate and to have a father figure I didn't need to call 'Lord'. I imagined my childhood, running through the halls of Highgarden, my father putting me to bed with his tales abroad, with my mother assuring me that when I grow up, I did not have to worry about going into a forced marriage, that I could marry who I wanted to.

And it made me sad.

I felt like I had been cheated out of an amazing life.

But these thoughts made me take a look at my life in the present. If my parents never died, I would never have met Jon or Theon, though I would probably have met Robb at some point considering how close our mothers would. I probably wouldn't know the value of hard work or how satisfying doing something for yourself could be. I would be blind to the harsh reality of the North. I, myself, would not be a Northerner.

The feelings of being swindled left and I felt immensely thankful.

True, I did not have the riches or grandeur that would have been my life had everything turned out differently. But I loved my life here...and even though I don't have a mother or a father to call my own, I would not trade my living here for anything in the world.

Still, I said the first thought that came to mind.

"I wish I could have known them." I whispered. My Lady gave me a gloomy look. "I wish they could have known you as well."

I stood up from my seat. "My Lady, thank you for telling me about my mother. I cannot tell how how grateful I am...but I am starting to feel overwhelmed with all of this. If you don't mind, I am going to return to my quarters."

She gave me a smile and I curtsied. With my back to her and my hand on the doorknob, I heard her say, "I did not see you this morning in the Great Hall for breakfast. Were you not hungry?"

I turned my head around to glance at her from the side. "I was still asleep, My Lady."

From the corner of my eye I saw her get up from her chair. "I would like you to come to the Great Hall and eat tonight, alright?"

With my hand still on the doorknob, I turned my head around and smiled in agreement. "Alright."

My Lady gave me a once-over with her Tully blue eyes, adding, "I will also send Maester Luwin your way within the hour. You need to get some more bandages on you."

"Alright. I will be in my room."

She nodded and sat down. "See you at supper." I said quietly.

I closed her door and left the study.

I was amazed by how eccentric House Pyralis used to be. I imagined that they were not well liked among some of the more radically traditional Westorsi Houses. I silently pondered if that ever bothered them.

I made my way to the tiltyard, where I saw a mass of curly black hair go towards the stables with a round bale of hay, half his size in length and twice his size in weight.

I stopped walking, looked around to make sure no one was watching, turned heel, and went in the direction of this person.

I lifted up my skirts to my ankles and ran fast. Mud splashed the bottom of my dress and muddied the nice yellow fabric, but I did not care. This would probably be my only chance to talk alone with him for the rest of the day.

I walked into the stables and halted before entering.

I quickly ducked behind some stacked barrels and upright pitchforks. I bent down and spied on Jon through an open crack between two stacked barrels.

I ran my fingers through my wavy hair and scratched my arm. The last time that I was here with him, I called him a 'fucking bastard'. Well, more of yelled it at him if I'm being honest. I was never one for swearing. Ladies do not swear. It was something that was instilled into me by My Lady. It's not something I use in my everyday vernacular, but every now and then, it does slip out. I grimaced at how I not only said a crude word, but yelled it.

My poor mother would probably be rolling in her grave if she knew.

I watched from the entrance of the stables as Jon lifted the enormous hay bale, with no effort, and set it down by the exit. I saw him untie the strings that held it together tightly and I saw him make it come undone. I watched as he took a pitchfork that was hanging up and carried it as he went into an empty stall. Jon removed the old hay and replaced it with the new hay. After a while, he untied his leather doublet and placed it on the wooden gate at the entrance of the stall he was at. Now he was only in a thick cotton top.

Jon staked the pitchfork in the ground, leaned against it, and wiped his brow. After a momentary pause, he called out, "Ophelia, I do not know if you are aware of this, but staring at someone for a period of time can be unnerving."

I yelped in shock at my discovery. It caused me to fall to the side, effectively knocking down both a barrel and the upright pitchforks as well as exposing myself. I laid on the ground with the barrel to my side and the handles of the pitchforks beneath my stomach.

I heard footsteps and I lifted my head to see a pair of boots. All of a sudden, my arms were gripped tightly and I was lifted from the floor.

Shakily standing on my feet, I wobbled a bit as I clutched onto Jon's forearm to steady myself. I was slightly bent over to the right as I dusted off my dress. I looked briefly at Jon through the veil of my long locks and I caught his ever-so-worried expression. I managed to maintain my balance and I let go of his arm. I took a step back, continuing to expel random pieces of hay off of my dress. Shaking my head, I flicked my hair behind me and stood up straight. I glared at Jon (with a great amount of determination, although I felt extremely nervous) and I poked him in the chest. Jon trailed his eyes from my index finger to my face as I poked him.

"How- _poke-_ dare- _poke-_ you _-poke_ -kiss- _poke-_ me- _poke-_ without- _poke-_ any _-poke_ -reason- _poke-_ why!" Every word I said I poked him in the chest and would step forward as Jon took a step back. We ended up with his back to a closed gate of an occupied stall and my finger stopped poking Jon.

He raised an eyebrow at me and chuckled.

My cheeks flamed up and so did my temper.

"Do you think this is funny?! Do you know the troubling state my mind has been in since early dawn?! You have never told, or even hinted, that you held a tender regard for me, or anyone for that matter! And you think it's okay to just kiss a girl without warning?! Why did you do it? Am I some sort of game, someone you can toy with their affections? I apologized to you, AND YOU KISSED ME! WHY DID YOU KISS ME?" I bellowed the last part out. My hands were balled up into fists and were held to the sides of me. I was glared at Jon.

Though I was not angry for him kissing me, I was mad that he took it as a joke.

"I kissed you...", Jon began, his voice growing dark and his eyes lighting up, "because I wanted to. In all candor, for a while now."

My eyes widened and my whole body had goosebumps. My fists released themselves and I started to scratch my arm.

I suddenly lost my nerve.

"Oh...I...I...I am flattered." That was all my peabrain could think to say. I was in a frozen stupor.

Jon gave a step forward and I backed up. He saw my reaction and produced a small smirk.

"Flattered?" Jon rubbed his pale chin in false thought and asked, "What else?" He let go of his chin and took another step forward, slowly starting to close the small gap between us.

My eyes darted to the exit and then back to him. "I...uh...you...ummm what?"

Jon took one more step. "What else do you feel, Ophelia?" I looked down at the floor and then back at him.

"Scared." I whispered. It was true. A part of me was scared where this was heading. As I have said many times before, I was not fond of change and if Jon wanted to start a courtship with me, it would be a big change...one that I was unsure about.

"Why?" He asked, his voice both dark and curious.

"I don't know what we are. I don't want lose you as a friend." Jon stepped closely to me and our chests were now touching. I looked down and he said, "Don't turn your gaze from me." My dark crimson eyes met his Stark grey ones. And they softened as he gently reached for my right hand and put it to his chest, both of his hands covering my own.

Jon leaned in closely to me and he whispered into my ear. "You don't ever have to be afraid of losing me."

We held each other's gaze and slowly started to lean into one another. One of his hands left the other that was holding my own to his chest and it grazed my cheek. My eyes gently closed and I felt his breath near my mouth. I felt his lips slowly about to graze my own, when all of a sudden I heard, "Theon, I do not want to hear what Ros did to your anus the last time you visited her."

Jon and I jumped back from each other as Robb and Theon entered the stables, both laughing and pushing each other around in playful banter. Both boys gradually halted to a stop as they caught sight of me and Jon, both flushed red and looking anywhere but each other.

"Jon, Ophelia." Robb nodded to the both of us. He walked to the middle of where we were. Robb darted his eyes between us and asked in a cautious voice, "Is everything alright?"

"Oh yeah! I was just looking for Jon to apologize and I did."

"Aye. I was only putting in new hay for the stall and Ophelia came to see me."

Our answers were jumbled over with one another. Robb gave us a suspicious look, but his face ended up relaxing and he grinned. He slapped Jon on the back as he walked past him and said, "It's good that you've forgiven her. I thought you were going to be a prat about it."

My eyes went back to Jon, who gave me a look that said, 'GET OUT OF HERE!'. I nodded and silently tried to walk out of the stables. I came near Theon, who was still standing in the entrance analyzing the scene from afar. He held out his left arm blocking my way out.

"Theon", I said, trying to walk by him, "please let me through." He turned his body to the side, leaned into me, and replied in a stoic voice, "Are you good?"

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion and nodded at him.

He narrowed his eyes and reached behind my head. Theon held up a piece of straw in front of my face. "You should be more careful. You had this sticking out from your hair." He flicked it away and sauntered past me towards where the other two boys had gathered.

I gulped.

Theon was onto me.

I knew it.

Or maybe he thought I was being clumsy again.

I honestly didn't know.

I shook off any bad feelings and went to my room. Once inside, I closed the door and was beginning to relax when I noticed something wasn't right.

First, Ethaesper was chirping about on my bed, happy that I came back.

Next, the water basin that served as my bathtub was empty and clean.

After that, I saw my pile of dirty clothes by the tub was gone, indicating that someone took them to the laundress to be cleaned.

And just as I was about to sit down on my bed, I heard a knock on the door.

I groaned in frustration. Maester Luwin was to visit me.

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Despite my previous feelings of wanting to be alone, I found great solace in Maester Luwin. It was nice to talk to him. He did not mention my heritage nor my running off nor my whipping. He talked about healing and taking care of my back and other menial things.

I found it quite refreshing.

After the last bandage was placed, Maester Luwin gave me jar of green soothing paste and left with a smile. I dressed myself in my mother's gown that I wore earlier, though this time I did not put on the yellow piece to it, only leaving the dark red gown on. I had to take it off for Maester Luwin to clean my wounds.

I put my hair into a braided bun and left my room to go to the Godswood. I passed many people and I kept my head down. I had something I needed to do. I went down a grassy path that led it's travellers away from the walls of Winterfell. I ended my trek in front of the Weirwood tree. I sat beneath it's bright red leaves and leaned against it's thick white trunk. I pulled my knees to my chest and put my head down on top of them.

 _'Please',_ I prayed _, 'Give me the strength to survive this. I have always prayed to you, everyday up until recently, so I ask that you hear my voice. I am sorry for not praying recently, things have been hectic. I need you to guide me through these troubled waters. I need you to show me my path in this world. I love the Starks, and I am on my way to fully forgiving them...but even with this new knowledge about myself...I do not know who I am. I don't think I ever will. I'm scared...please help me to be courageous in my endeavours. Show me the path you wish for me to take and I, your devout follower, will go upon it with no qualms. Just show me what I have to do.'_

I always felt a calm come over me whenever I prayed. So, I did it often. I raised my head up and tilted it back to rest against the trunk.

I closed my eyes as I felt the wind picked up and blow past me, rustling the tree leaves, a sign that the Old Gods answered my prayers.

Everything would be okay...at least I hoped it would be.

I stayed in my spot beneath the Weirwood, feeling the calm that the Old Gods brought until it started to become darker. I stood up and put my palm against the trunk. I smiled up at the face engrained in the tree and headed indoors for supper.

As I neared the archway to the Great Hall, I stood up straight and looked forward.

'Don't be nervous.' I spoke inside my head.

I walked in.

It wasn't so bad. No one noticed me. I spied the table that I usually sat at, making my way in that direction. Theon caught sight of me and waved me over. I smiled and waved back.

I was almost there when I heard, "Ophelia."

I turned to see Robb jogging towards me, his dark auburn curls bouncing and a smile lighting up his face.

"Hi!" I said to him, my eyes noticing the food starting to be served at the tables.

His Tully blue eyes looked me up and down, from head to toe.

"I see you changed." I peeked down at the front of my dress and fiddled with the side of my skirt.

"Oh...not really. I only took off the second part of my dress...you know, the yellow part?."

"Oh yes...well, you look nice."

It was a pause, before we both broke into semi-uncomfortable laughs, with me scratching my arm while looking away and with him rubbing the back of his head, grinning a tad bit.

"Anyway, Mother asked for you to join us tonight." He motioned towards the main table where the Starks were sitting. There was an extra seat at their table.

I shook my head furiously.

Robb looked confused. "What is the problem? Are you not hungry?"

"Oh no, I am! It's just that...", I lowered my voice into a whisper and leaned in closely to Robb, "it's not appropriate for me to sit with you. I'm a ward, not a Stark."

Robb leaned in closely to me and said, "Ophelia, no one cares. It's just for one night." He chuckled and stood up straight, lending me his arm to escort me to the main table. I looked over my shoulder to see Theon's waving falter. He gave me a quizzical expression. Theon held up his arms as if to ask, "What's going on?"

I mouthed a quick 'Sorry' to him, and I went to go sit down with the Starks.

For several years now, I have been accustomed to eating in the kitchens after I served Robb and Sansa their meal. The only time I ate at a table was in the morning, so I felt quite uneasy when Robb pulled out a chair for me to sit down in. I locked eyes with him and he gave me an encouraging look.

I steadily sat down and Robb pushed my chair in. He took his seat next to me. I looked around to see that the Starks looked, for the most part, unbothered by my presence. They were all eating. I did catch My Lady giving me a happy facial expression though.

"Hi!" I whipped my head to see that sitting on my left, at the end of the table, was Bran.

I never really spoke to Bran and Rickon. When they were born, I gushed over them as I would with any other baby, but as they grew I became less familiar with them. I was too busy doing my chores to play with either of them.

Bran gave me a toothy smile and said, "Do you like bread?" He reached for a bread roll in a bowl right in front of him, and held it out to me.

I gave the light brown-haired boy a small smile and nodded. I received the roll and put it on my plate as my former roommate Emily came by and served me some meat and vegetables. I caught her glare at me, and I shrinked down in my chair as the curly-headed blonde left me to go serve others.

Bran seemed happy and was bouncing up and down in his chair. "I really wanted for you to sit with us! Sansa didn't want you to, but Arya and me did!"

I was taken aback when a spoonful of mashed potatoes flung across my face and hit Bran right on his nose.

He looked around in shock and wiped the potatoes off his face. I looked to the right and caught a glimpse of Arya who was leaning forward, her eyes aflame, and a wooden spoon in hand. The fiesty little wolf pointed it at her brother.

"You weren't supposed to tell her that, you ninny!"

"I am not a ninny! And it's true." I helplessly looked to Robb for assistance. He caught my look and swallowed the food he was chewing.

"Arya, don't throw food at Bran, lest you want Mother to send you to bed."

Arya rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair, grumbling under her breath.

I turned back to Bran who was back to his bubbly mood. "Father told us that you're a Pyralis!" I silently nodded as I ate a forkful of meat.

"He said that your family's sigil was a Phoenix!"

I nodded again, stuffing more meat in my cheeks so I wouldn't have to respond.

"And Mother said she knew your mother!"

I was reaching the limit of how much food I could put into my mouth, when Bran stated excitedly, "You're a noble, just like us! That's probably why Mother wants to throw you a party, huh?!"

I choked on my food and struggled to swallow it. "What?!" I managed to get out as I gasped for air. I gave a violent cough.

Robb patted me on the back, not even looking up from his food. My coughing died down and I leaned back in my chair.

I heard a scoff and looked down on Robb's other side to catch sight of Sansa rolling her eyes.

"Bran, don't give Ophelia any false delusions. She's hardly a noble. Her family is dead and had their position in society taken away. She's no more a noble than a scullery maid, which she nearly was."

Robb snapped his head up and glared at his sister. "Sansa, that's a horrible thing to say."

Sansa merely shrugged her shoulders as she gave him a non-caring expression. She cut into her meat, taking off a small piece and popping it into her mouth. "I think it's a good thing that Ophelia discovered who her family is though."

Robb and I exchanged a confused look. He turned back to Sansa and gave her a mildly shocked expression. "You do?"

Sansa nodded as she took another dainty bite. "Of course. That means she won't have to serve me anymore." Sansa gave me a look and earnestly said, "You were quite horrible at your job, so it's good they had someone else replace you. I was begging Mother for months, though she never relented. It's nice to have a more helpful domestic."

She went back to eating.

I suddenly felt very horrible. Did I really do my chores that badly? I always though I did a great job. I never received any complaints. I knew I wasn't Sansa's first choice for help, but I didn't think she disliked me that bad.

Suddenly, Sansa screeched and stood up as a huge glop of mashed potatoes dripped down from her bright red hair to her light blue gown. "Arya! Why would you do that?!"

I could see a clear view of Arya as Sansa stood, and she gave Sansa an angry glare. "Ophelia was not horrible at her job. You're just a lying spoiled brat."

Sansa turned to Robb, who was busy holding in his laughter, and pointed an accusing finger at Arya. "Why are laughing?! You need to put her to bed!"

"You need to put her to bed." Arya mocked in a high-pitched voice, making a mouth puppet with her hand.

Bran started to laugh along with Robb, while the two girls were bickering.

Meanwhile, I put my head down and focused on eating my food.

"Ahem." All of us looked up to see Lord Stark standing up and giving his kids a stern look. Robb and Bran's chuckles died down, Sansa slowly sat back down, and Arya kept quiet.

Suddenly, Little Rickon poked his head out from the opposite end of the table, where he was sitting next to My Lady, and asked in a small curious voice, "Mother, Father, are we really having a party?" He looked up at Lord Stark with wide eyes and Lord Stark sighed. He exchanged a look with My Lady and she nodded.

He sat down, she stood up. "I am thinking about throwing a party for Ophelia's nameday. It would be a good way to introduce her into society and it would lift everyone's spirits, considering the events that have occurred within these past couple of weeks."

My Lady gave me a look and asked, "Ophelia, your thoughts on this?"

Everyone's gaze turned to me, and my eyes darted to the table I usually sit at, to see they were looking at me as well. I cursed under my breath.

'Oh, why can't everyone leave me to eat my food in peace?!" I thought desperately as my cheeks flared up.

"Ophelia?" My Lady called out, looking expectant for an answer.

"I...uhh...I don't really want a party." I mumbled, wishing I could just disappear into thin air.

My Lady looked a bit puzzled. "I thought you liked parties?"

I waved my hands wildly in front of me in a dismissive manner. "I like parties, I just...I...I uhh...", I glanced around the room to see everyone staring at me, "I have no wish to be the center of anyone's attention."

My Lady gave me a considerate expression. "I understand. Please think about it though. Alright?" I nodded, waiting for her to sit down.

But she didn't. Instead she walked over to me and placed a familiar black velvet box in front of me.

"You forgot this in Lord Stark's Solar." She gave me one more smile and sat back down.

"What is that?" Arya asked, leaning forward over Sansa to get a better look at the box.

The heat in my cheeks refused to die down as the four oldest children looked at me.

"Oh...i-i-it's nothing...just a necklace." Arya rolled her eyes again, uninterested at something as frivolous as a necklace. But Sansa perked up all of a sudden and eyed the box. "A necklace? What does it look like?"

I grabbed the box and held it to my chest. "Just some average, old necklace." I was feeling very protective over the piece of jewelry, a vast difference in my feelings from the first time I was gifted it.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Jon wipe the corner of his mouth from his supper and stand up. He caught my eye, gave me a look, and walked out of the hall.

After a short moment of hesitation, I abruptly stood up and said, "Thank you for the meal. I will consider the party!" Clutching my box, I gave the Starks a curtsy and speedily walked out of the Great Hall.

When I was out of sight of everyone, I ran to the tiltyard and turned my head in all directions looking for Jon. The noise of a horse begging caught my attention.

I knew where he was.

A nervous pit rose in my stomach as I walked into the stables, to the stall at the end. The one Jon cleaned out earlier. And there he was, leaning against the back wall of the stall, not at all surprised at seeing me.

I paced myself as the fluttering in my stomach grew. I went into the last stall, staying near the opening of the gate to the stall.

"We need to talk." I told Jon taking a step closer to him. He stepped forward.

"We do." He agreed. My breathing came out shallowly.

There was a momentary pause.

"Do you want to talk now?" I asked him quietly.

Jon came closer, his broad chest only an inch away from mine, and his black-curly haired head leaned down. His face was near mine when he answered, "No."

He kissed me again, this time with less fire and passion, but with more tender and care.

I dropped the box that contained the Eyefire necklace as I hesitantly, wrapped my arms around Jon's neck. I slowly started to move my lips against his slightly chapped ones, and his big, strong arms engulfed my torso, pulling me closer to him .

Jon steadily started to make his way back to the wall he was previously standing near, having me follow him.

I did not break the kiss and neither did he.

He bumped into the wall and shifted us around so I could be leaning against it. I opened my eyes as his lips left my face, making sure that his tender kisses gave my neck some attention.

As Jon's lips attached themselves to the nape of my neck, I started to run my fingers through his thick black hair. Jon groaned and roughly grabbed my left thigh. He hoisted my leg to his hip and connected us even closer.

"Is this wrong?" I whispered to him.

Jon looked up at me with dark lust-filled eyes and shook his head. "Does this feel wrong to you?" He asked gruffly.

I couldn't reply because Jon was kissing my mouth again, harder and with a blazing fire.

I whimpered as he lowered me to the hay covered ground, one hand running up the side of my body, the other going under my skirts feeling the skin on the bare thigh that was hoisted to his hips.

His tounge entered my mouth and we fought for dominance which, without a doubt, he won. My heart was beating so hard I was scared it would come bounding out of my chest. My breaths came in rough shallow pants.

Jon's closed eyes opened up and he attacked my neck again, this time nipping and biting small parts of it. The hand that was running up and down my side, went up to my shoulder and rubbed it, causing the fabric the shimmy down.

Jon caught sight of this and gave out a small growl that made my knees shake and my whimpers became louder. He yanked down the fabric and trailed his lips from the skin of my neck to the skin of my shoulders.

"Oh Gods." I moaned as his kisses became hotter and the grip on my thigh became tighter. Jon held himself up, disconnecting his lips from me and he looked down at me, his eyes searching for something.

"What is it?" I panted out. Why did he stop? Jon's black curls fell to the sides of his head. He traced my lips with his hand.

I closed my eyes, relishing in the warm feeling this brought on. He leaned closely to my ear. "I want to try something." And nibbled at it.

I opened my eyes and turned my face around, causing his teeth to let go the the gentle grasp that held my ear.

He stared at me, our eyes connecting and I whispered, "I trust you, Jon."

He nodded and kissed my lips once more, before going back to my shoulder. He lowered his body down, almost completely covering mine.

Jon looked unsure a bit, but a look of determination crossed over his features. He aligned his fully-clothed privates to my skirt-covered ones, and cautiously ground them against each other.

I gasped and held my arms around his neck tightly as my nerves were set on fire. Noticing my reaction, he brought them closer and at an agonizingly slow pace, he ground his groin to mine.

I squirmed underneath him, as he continued this. His lips left me and his forehead touched mine.

"Don't close your eyes. I want to see you." I leaned up and kissed him tentatively in agreement. He started to grind harder, racking our bodies up and down.

My whimpers grew as did Jon's low groans. He grinding became harder and faster with each pant, whimper, gasp, and groan.

The bundle of nerves in my stomach grew and my face flushed as I felt something foreign come over me.

Jon gave me a look of understanding.

During all of this, his gaze was solely focused on me.

"Jon.." I whimpered. What he was doing felt so good, I didn't want him to stop. With each grinding it felt the same as the tightening of the bundle of nerves in my stomach.

Harder.

Harder.

Harder.

And then, there it was. Jon gave out a loud growl and shut his eyes as he came to a sporadic stop. He put his forehead to mine and I gave out a small scream.

The only sound now was our panting. The stables were dark, the only light was coming from the castle several yards away. The horses that were in the stables started to neigh loudly, annoyed that our noises woke them up.

Then, all of a sudden, I started to giggle. My giggles turned into laughter and Jon pushed himself up off of me. He blanaced his body on one elbow and quirked a dark eyebrow at me.

"Why are you laughing?" He asked in his usual brooding voice. I covered my mouth, trying to contain my grin and giggles.

"I...hahaha...I...haha...I don't know why!" I clutched my sides and started to laugh even more at seeing Jon's confused face. Slowly the expression of confusion turned to a crooked smile and he gradually started to laugh as well. He collapsed on the side of me, lying in his back, and we both laughed at nothing, our bodies shaking.

Eventually our laughter died down to small chuckles and Jon pulled me to his body. I cuddled up next to him, something reminiscent of what we did as children, and I laid on his shoulder. One strong arm was wrapped around my shoulder, the hand from that arm grasping mine. Our hands clasped together, our fingers intertwined.

We stared up at the wood planked ceiling, both quiet.

"Ophelia..." I heard Jon ask. I tilted my head upwards, and looked at him with wide dark crimson eyes.

"Yes, Jon?"

I noticed he was about to say something, but he shook his head changing his mind. "Never mind." I only snuggled closer into him, his hold on me growing tighter and warmer. I wouldn't pester him and ruin this moment.

This wonderfully, beautifully, perfect moment.

I didn't know what we were and I was still confused about Jon's intentions with me, as was I confused about my own feelings, but if whatever this was resulted in more moments like this, I wouldn't mind.

Eventually, we heard the voices of Robb and Theon coming near the stables. Jon quickly sat up and looked at me. He gave a breathless sigh and sat me up as well. Jon closed his Stark grey eyes and leaned his forehead to mine. "I'll see you tomorrow. Get some rest." I nodded.

He pecked my lips and helped me up. Jon stood in the middle of the stables as he watched me leave.. I looked back over my shoulder one more time, gave Jon one more tiny smile, and narrowly avoided Robb and Theon.

I went back to my room and closed the door. I noticed my clothes, (the green dress, nightgown, and makeshift coat) all cleaned and folded on my bed. I also noticed that Ethaesper was in her own birdcage, with a small nest for her at the back of the cage and a bowl of mashed up worms near the front.

I went to the cage and got her out, which made her happy. She nestled in my hands immediately and her eyes closed in a slumber.

I changed out of my mother's gown and into my nightgown. I put another log in the small fire that was blazing in the hearth, and I slugged off to bed.

I had many things to think about, but tomorrow I would worry.

Tonight, all I wanted to do was dream about a pair of parents, an unwanted party, and most of all, a boy with black curly hair and brooding nature.

 **I wanted to show some more of Seraphine and a bit of history on the odd customs of House Pyralis. Also the barn scene between Jon and 'Felia was a long time coming...kind of like Jon and Dany hahahahahaha. In all honesty though, this was a huge unexpected step forward and well...it might not have the results someone would expected. If we could get this up to 62 reviews, I will love you all so much! :) Next chapter: Ophelia's reply to the Cat's party suggestion, Jon and Ophelia actually talk (I mean it this time), Theon surprises Ophelia, and Cat says something that changes everything.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey there! So here is the new chapter, my longest yet. Also thank you to all who reviewed! 97 follows, 62 favorites, and 63 reviews, that is awesome! I didn't know so many people would enjoy this story, but here we are lol. Anyways, school has been hell but I will prevail! I got several announcements to make. Also, the dance detailed in this chapter is the Stay With Me Dance from Reign.**

 **First, I have a new story out called Recension of The Design. Please, please, please check it out! It's a Final Destination fanfic. I just love the F.D. series and I was inspired to write one after binge watching the first three movies. I know it's not a big fandom, but it would mean a lot if someone took a look at it. Also, I have another story that I will be editing soon. It's called Ruthie and it's been out for a while, but if you're intrested in the Scream franchise, then check it out! :)**

 **Second, my sister had a baby! And guess what she named her?! Seraphina. Lol I didn't even suggest the name, but she named her that anyways. I find it funny in an ironic way because my sister has no idea that I'm writing this story hahaha lol...or does she? (Shifts eyes suspiciously).**

 **Third, some of y'all are going to hate me after this chapter, not gonna lie. This was a tough one to write, but it was needed to move the plot along. After all, I am sticking to canon so that should give you an idea of how this is going to go down. A good song inspiration that I had for this chapter is called All I Need by Within Temptation. It captures both ends of the spectrum, the good and bad. P.S. Ophelia's dress in this chapter can be viewed on the Armstreet website. It is the Medieval Woolen Dress "Green Sleeves" Limited. P.P.S. Congratulations to Rose Leslie and Kit Harington on the engagement!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones, only Ophelia, House Pyralis, Ethaesper, Ydina, and Katherine.**

1st P.O.V. Winterfell

 _The room was engulfed in flames, the fire spreading rapidly destroying everything it touched. One of the wooden rafters from the ceiling collapsed and fell in the middle of the room. It was now an obstacle for the two people in the doorway. The man with strange colored hair clutched the young boy close to him as he tried to figure out a plan of escape. His cousin was on the other side of the rafter, right next to the window that held the best route for leaving the blazing hell they were trapped in._

 _Rowtag started to panic as the the flames rose higher and higher. He picked up the boy and held him to his chest so that he would be protected from the overwhelming heat and smoke._

 _"Seraphine, run! Get out of here!"_

 _The young girl shook her head and glared at him with defiance. "I won't leave you!"_

 _Rowtag looked up as more burnt pieces of wood fell and he backed up, the smoke stinging his eyes making them water._

 _"Go now! You have no choice!_ _Get out, right now!" Seraphine shook her head and tried to move closer, the flames licking her skirts, starting to burn her legs. Still, the defiant eleven year old refused to move, her eyes trained on her older cousin and her friend. The small boy started to choke on the smoke and Rowtag clutched him closer to his chest._

 _Seraphine ran forward and reached out her hand the younger boy whom she loved like a baby brother. Her dark crimson eyes were determined to reach the young child and her voice screamed out his name as another piece of debris aflame fell near the duo._

 _"Petyr!"_

My eyes snapped open and I sat up. I put a hand on my chest and ran my other hand through my messy hair. I woke up drenched in sweat, and with a chill shivering down my spine. Huffing out breaths, I looked around. The fire was dim, the day was breaking anew, and Ethaesper was sleeping on the pillow next to me.

My heart was racing as fast as well-bred stallion and I had the most awful feeling. I couldn't remember what my dream was about, but I knew that it was not good. I put my balled up fists to the sides of my head and tried to remember what occurred in it.

I remember fire. How do I remember? I could practically smell smoke and the burning of wood. I felt fear. Not the nervous type, but the type that one faces when they know that their death is near.

I put my hands down, and lifted up the covers, resulting in me waking up Etheasper. She opened her eyes and chirped in annoyance. I didn't bother attending to her.

My dream disturbed me, even if I couldn't remember what it was about. I rolled up the long sleeves to my white cotton nightgown, and shivered in terror: the hairs on my arms were sticking up, a sign that nothing good was near.

"It was just a dream...right?" I turned to Etheasper, who hopped up and down silently.

I jumped back in fright when a knock on my door gave a loud sound. I furrowed my eyebrows and went to fetch my robe. Fastening it tightly, I answered the door.

Only opening it a crack barged in several women, led by Katherine, all of whom were carrying pots of hot water. There was around twelve of them, and they all carried two pots each.

I stood in shock as each one passed, every single women greeting me with a "Good morning, My Lady."

I stood at the threshold, mouth formed into an 'O' shape, my eyes wide, and my body stiff at the intrusion of my privacy. "I...uh...umm...good...morning...?" I was confused. I didn't know the properly formal way to greet these women, women I had worked beside in all none formal familiarity only several weeks ago.

I grabbed onto the elbow of the oldest women, Ydina, and stopped her. I bent down slightly and whispered frantically into her hear, "What is going on?!"

The white haired woman gave me a wrinkled smile and whispered back, "Lady Stark asked that we set up a bath for you this morning."

I wrinkled my nose, and lifted up my arm to smell my armpit. I didn't smell that bad.

Ydina chuckled and nudged me with her elbow, giving me a wink. "Not all of us are so lucky to be getting a bath every morning."

I put my arm back down and gestured to the other women. "I don't take a bath every morning! I bathe every two days in the hot springs when I have some me time, you know that!"

Ydina's smile faded a notch and she said, "Well, now that you're a Lady, you're expected to smell nice all the time. Be clean every day, not just when you have the time."

I shut my eyes and gritted my teeth. I should've anticipated that this would happen. The servants, people I knew and worked beside for several years, probably thought that I was now going to be some uppity lady, too dainty to get my hands dirty.

Well, I was not about to let that happen.

I opened my eyes and put on a sunny smile for Ydina. I reached for one of the pots. "Let me help at least."

She turned her body away from me, making me miss the pot and grasp the air instead. Ydina gave me a remorseful smile. "No need. All of us have it done for you."

I pulled my hand back and stepped back. This is what it would now be like. Us, meaning them, and You, meaning me. I'm not going to lie, this new truth wounded me to the bone.

All of the women carefully dumped one pot of water in the washtub after the next, filling it up. Katherine stood up and tied up her mousy brown hair into a messy bun. She ushered and shooed all of the others out of the room.

"Thank you!", I called out to them as they all left. I stepped out into the hall watching them all walk away., "I appreciate it! It was very nice of you! Have a good d-"

"Will you shut up?!" I stopped my zealous words of gratitude, and turned to see Katherine with her hands on her hips and a glare on her face. She waved me into the room, impatient to get on with her day. Looking back at the last of the women leaving the corridor, I deflated and reluctantly went back into my room.

I shut the door and looked at the girl, with whom I used to share a room.

We stood staring at each other until she snapped, "Are you going to strip, or do I have to do that as well?"

"W-w-what are you doing here?" I asked slightly confused at her presence in my bedchambers. "These aren't your usual chores..."

She clapped her hands in a false celebratory manner. "Well aren't you a clever one?" She rolled her dark eyes. She held out her hand towards me in an effort to make a point. "Obviously I am the new handmaiden to the royal and prestigious Lady Ophelia Pyralis." Her voice dripped with sarcasm and hatred.

I felt myself shrinking under her venomous gaze. "I'm sorry. You don't have to be here if you don't want to be." Maybe if I appeased to her a bit, she would leave me alone. Honestly, I thought I had enough of her and Emily when I stopped living with them, but alas, fate was not so kind.

"Are you getting in or not?! I don't have all day to be playing this stupid back and forth game with you. I have to get you to breakfast by a certain time."

"You're not leaving me alone after this?!"

"Why would I do that? I said I'm your handmaiden, I have the same duties a handmaiden has to do."

"I don't need a handmaiden!"

Her eyes narrowed at me. "I don't care what you think you need. Lady Stark asked me to assist you from now on, and I'm not a fool enough to say no. Do honestly believe I would choose scrubbing pots all day and cleaning out hearths over this? I'm not letting anyone, even a snivelly, pitiful wretch like you, ruin it for me. You were given your chance to receive a better life, but I have to take mine when it's offered."

Dismissing her comments towards me, I felt sorry for her. I knew that being promoted was no easy feat, and not everyone would have the chance at a promotion. Some people have worked at Winterfell their entire lives, yet were never given a higher position. For something like this to happen to someone as young as Katherine was the equivalent of digging up hidden gold.

Rare and priceless.

"Fine. But turn around. I don't want you to see me naked." Katherine rolled her eyes and folded up her arms as she turned away from me.

"Seven Hells." She mumbled. As I started to undress and take off my bandages from yesterday, I saw her head move around as she examined my room. She 'tsked' and whistled lowly. "Damn, you really did trade up, didn't you?" I didn't answer as I balled up my clothes and threw them across the room and onto my bed, doing my best to not disturb Ethaesper.

I stepped into the bath and hissed as the sting from the water made contact with my bare skin. I slowly sank down, and brought my knees up. I covered my bare breasts with my arms.

"I can bathe myself you know." I informed her. Katherine turned around and saw my position. A rare smile twitched at the corner of her lips before her usual critical expression took over her features. Katherine walked over and pulled a large corked bottle out of her apron's pocket. It was as big as a milk bottle, but the liquid inside was pale white with a touch of golden at the bottom. Katherine shook it in one hand and walked over to the tub, uncorking the bottle, and poured it into my bath.

She knelt beside the tub and rolled up the sleeve to her dark grey dress. Katherine reached into the tub and swirled the water around, making the clear water turn as pale as the white liquid in bottle.

It smelled nice and seemed familiar.

"What did you pour in?" I inquired. I turned my head to her.

"It's milk, with salt, chamomile, and honey. It makes the skin smooth." She grumbled.

Oh, so that's what it was. I made a concoction similar to this for Sansa one time, but with rose oil extract and mint tea instead of milk and chamomile.

"This is nice. Thank you." Katherine gave me a blank look and produced a sponge from her apron.

"Come on. We don't have all day." I hesitantly extended my arm out to her, and just as she was going to scrub me, I snatched the sponge from her and started to scrub myself.

"Hey! Give that back."

I didn't look at her as I scrubbed down the tops of my shoulders. "I can bathe myself."

Katherine reached for the sponge again and glared me down. "But this is my job! I need to do it."

"No you don't...whether you scrub me down or not, I will not tell Lord Stark or My Lady. This will stay our secret, alright?"

Katherine huffed and sat back down on her knees. "Fine. But I will do your back. Lady Stark was very stern about that."

Immediately feeling dread, I forgot all sense of modesty as I sank myself down into the tub. I had my back to the bottom of the tub, the white milk barely covering the front of my naked body.

I shook my head in refusual. "No! No, no, no! Absolutely not! I don't want you to see my back."

Katherine rolled her brown eyes and crawled on her knees to get behind me. "It can't be that bad."

I felt a wave of self-consciousness fill me up and I looked away. "It is."

Katherine bluntly stated, "This won't be the last time I'm going to see you naked. It's best we get this over with right now."

I shook my head and Katherine gave out a yell of frustration. "You're going to make us late for breakfast, and make me look bad on my first day as a handmaiden."

"Promise me you won't tell Emily." I demanded sharply.

"What? Why would I tell Emily?"

"Well you're friends aren't you?"

Katherine crawled over to my side, leaned back, and scrunched her eyebrows together. "What in the Seven Hells gave you that idea?!"

"Because you always make fun of me with her."

"That doesn't mean I like her! Do you know how many times I had to be locked out of the room because of that Greyjoy prick you and her are so fond of? No, I don't like her, I tolerate her."

I felt my docile nature turn to one of fire. Theon was not well-liked, but that was because so few people knew him. He wasn't always the most pleasent to be around, but he was my friend and I would be damned if I let someone as ridiculing as Katherine pass judgement upon him.

I felt my own eyes narrow and I started to seethe. "Theon Greyjoy is many things but he is not prick." Covering my breasts, I sat up straight and glared at her. "So long as you are serving me, you will not insult any of my friends, regardless of your own feelings for them. You do this, and I will reward you the same courtesy."

Katherine let out a huff. She then gave me a small smirk and said, "You start standing up for yourself like that, you won't hear a peep from me."

I blushed but remained firm of face. I nodded and she gave me a rare smile. "Now, about your back."

She crawled behind me once more, and I heard a sharp intake of breath.

Coldness swept throughout my body. "Is it bad?" My voice pitch came out high with panic.

Katherine sighed and asked me, "Do you want me to lie?"

"No."

"It's horrible."

I frowned as her rough hands started to massage the barely healed wounds, putting on green paste as she worked her fingers on the cobweb of red raised skin that decorated my upper rear surface.

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After Katherine cleaned my back and bandaged it up, she rummaged through my mother's dresses and picked out a a burgundy gown, with a green and gold trim, and green detachable sleeves. She noticed how loose it was.

She went into my drawers and pulled out a shift and stays, something I was not accustomed to wearing.

I held the towel close to my body and I stepped back from her.

"That's not mine."

Katherine didn't look up at me as she said, "I know. Lady Stark told me to put it in your room last night. You have to start wearing them."

I looked at the light pink stays in disdain, before nodding my head. "Just don't tie them too tight...because of my back." Katherine snorted and pulled the shift over my head, and put the stays on me. She pulled them tight enough for it to be snug, but not enough to constrict. I had to hold onto the pole of my bed. Katherine showed no mercy as she jerked the strings into place. Once she tied the last of the strings, she pulled the dress down my body. As she was putting it on me, Katherine said, "Remind me to take in your dresses in as soon as you head to lessons. It'll give me something to do."

"Umm...alright." I fixed my own hair into a braided bun and smiled at her.

"Let's go to breakfast, shall we?"

"Wait!" She stopped me and pointed at my feet. "Your shoes."

I gave her a soft smile as I remembered what My Lady told me about my family. Perhaps today I would try out their tradition, just to see how it is. "I don't think I'll be needing them today. Besides, my dress reaches to the floor."

Katherine looked at me a bit oddly but shrugged and said, "No skin off my back. C'mon, let's get going." We left my room, and went to the Great Hall where people were just sitting down for breakfast.

I looked at the brown haired girl next to me. "Where will you sit?" I asked her. She nudged me in the ribs as she answered, "In the kitchens, as always. When you're done, follow the Stark girls to their lessons. I'll be in your room mending your dresses." I blinked as she left me standing in the Great Hall.

After a while I walked to the table where Ser Rodrick was sitting. The big man was eating a couple of salted boiled eggs in a wooden bowl. I sat across from him and grabbed a piece of bread from the middle of the table, along with some jam and butter.

I started to smear them on the bread when I regarded the Master at Arms. "Good morning, Ser Rodrick. How are you faring today?" I took a bite of the bread as he looked up at me and grinned. "Very well, Lady Ophelia." The white haired man cut one of his eggs in half and spooned it into his mouth. "Now that you are no longer working, what is your schedule for today?"

I shrugged as I took another bite. "I suppose I am to go to lessons, as usual, but actually participate in them and not sit in the background like I normally do." I stopped mid-bite and put my piece of bread down at the Master at Arms' previous statement and rolled my eyes, "Ser Rodrick, you've known me since I was a babe. Don't start calling me Lady Ophelia now that I have on a nice dress."

Ser Rodrick chuckled and replied, "Aye. I'll make sure to remember that in the future." After I took another bite of my bread and swallowed I asked, "How are the boys' training coming along?"

Ser Rodrick gave me a look, but answered my question nonetheless. "It's going well. Robb has become stronger within the last year, his jabs to an opponent are doing more than bruising and Theon has become even better at his marksmanship with archery. Though Bran does need help in that area, I'll admit. And Rickon is barely learning how to use a practice sword."

I didn't look up from my bread when I asked on the sly, "And Jon? How is he doing?"

"Well. He's doing very well. Jon is very quick and very precise, he's been practicing more and more. I suppose it's his way of preparing for the time when he leaves to join the Night's Watch." My head snapped up and I stared at him in confusion. "He still wants to take the Black?"

Ser Rodrick went back to eating his eggs as he bobbed his head up and down. "The last time I heard, he still had plans to go to Castle Black." He chewed his food and reached for the bread and butter, combined the two, and scooped some of his eggs onto it. He took a humongous bite and swallowed.

My jaw dropped open and I dropped my slice of bread on my plate in shock. "And when did you last hear this?"

"Several days ago. Before Jon went out on the search, I asked why he always practiced late into the night, not that it's a bad descion, and he was adamantly earnest in his response about being ready for when he leaves to Castle Black." My eyes turned to slits and I slammed my hands on the table at Ser Rodrick's answer. I abruptly stood up, startling Ser Rodrick who looked up at me in surprise by my outburst. "Are you alright?" He asked in concern, his white braided beard moving with every word he spoke.

I nodded and replied, "I will be back in a bit. I just realized, I have forgotten something." I speedily walked out of the Great Hall, and just as I got to the entrance, my nose raised up into a snarl as I grabbed the arm of Jon Snow, and twisted him around. I felt him tugging against my hold, but I gripped him like iron and would not let go. I dragged him outside the Castle and down the path, leading him to the Weirwood tree. Once we got there, he yanked himself out of my grasp and gave me a stern look.

"What was that for?" Jon demanded, as he folded up his arms to his leather doublet covered chest.

I felt my anger flare up as I shoved him, causing him to stumble back a couple steps. Jon stared at me, slight shock crossing his features. "Do I look like a game to you?" I demanded, clenching my fists to my sides.

His black eyebrows scrunched down together and asked in a gruff voice, "What are you raving on about?"

My stubby fingernails dug into my palms as I ground out, "Do. I. Look. Like. A. Game. To. You."

Jon shook his curly head and answered. "You are not a game to me."

"Then why have you not told me your intentions with me?! If I wasn't a game, you would want to court me! Instead of that though, I had to hear from Ser Rodrick that you still intend to take the Black!"

Jon uncrossed his arms and looked down at the grass. "I wanted to tell you-"

I scoffed, interuppting him. "Night gathers and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I will take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I will-"

Jon's Stark grey eyes blazed with anger as he snapped in annoyance, "I know the vows!"

"Of course you do! Everyone does! If you go into the Nights Watch, we-", I gestured to the both of us, "-will never happen. So, I am asking you to answer me in all honesty: What are your intentions with me?"

Jon's face softened as he saw my eyes starting to ream with frustrated tears and he took a step forward. "I don't know." He answered honestly. I let out a breath of disbelief and turned my back to him, crossing my arms over my chest.

Jon started to speak again. "I don't know the depths of my feelings for you. I suppose I never will. But, I do know that I care about you and I know that I've cared about you for a while now." I swallowed thickly and my breathing became shaky. I slowly turned around to see Jon glaring at the ground, with his fists balled up, as he tried to get out his words. "I...I started to care about you, in an affectionate manner, since White Harbor." Jon's cheeks turned pink with this confession.

I became slack jawed as I unfurled my arms, and put my right hand over my beating chest. "W-W-What?"

Jon looked up at me, his eyes holding the intense emotion of admiration. I couldn't breathe. He continued. "You almost died...and that was the first time, even as a child, that I knew you could never be just a friend. I knew I wanted you...", His eyes trailed me up and down as his Adam's apple quivered as he swallowed, "...all of you. I never said anything. I was too ashamed, of what I am, to ever pursue anything with you." Jon looked down in shame, his black curls covering his face.

"As we grew, I had hoped it would go away. I prayed that I could care for you in a familial manner, the way I do for Sansa and Arya...but I never could. I didn't know what to do...so I stayed silent. Then Wintertown happened, and after seeing you all bloodied and broken, flogged into unconsciousness...", Jon looked up at me with determination, "I promised that I would never hold silent again. If someone were to hurt you, that I would protect you. I told Ser Rodrick about the Nights Watch, in the case that you did not care for me, as I did for you. Still...you are my Night's Watch."

Jon came close to me and held my hands. He put his forehead to mine and whispered, "Whatever you command of me, I will do it. And as for my intentions with you...if you're willing...I would very much like to explore what this is." I closed my eyes and the fluttered open to see Jon staring at me.

"Do you want to court me?" I asked softly. This was question that needed to be asked. I didn't want to enter a relationship that ended up with nothing. If Jon was serious...if he really wanted to be with me and not just use me, he would want to have at least some sort of goal at the end that he intended to obtain.

Jon nodded and I felt my face nearly crack at how wide my smile spread. "Eventually. But for right now...I just want to see what this is between us, privately, without any prying eyes. I want to know if this will have the potential of working, and if it does...then we can enter a public courtship."

I felt my eyes water as I asked him, "You don't care that I'm a Pyralis...that I'm a ward?"

Jon took his forehead away from mine as he shook his head. "No...so long as you don't mind that I am a bastard."

"I never have."

Jon let out a breath of relief.

I giggled and Jon gave me a rare smile. "Well, isn't that the beginning of an interesting story. The Bastard and the Ward.." I jested moving closely into his embrace.

"Ahh, the jokes they will make about us." Jon added as he wrapped his arms around my waist. He gave me a kiss on the forehead and I put my head into the crook of his neck.

We stayed like this for a while.

Eventually, I stepped back from him and lightly punched him in the shoulder. "Let's go get some breakfast." I grinned and picked up the skirts to my dress. "First one to the Great Hall wins!" I sprinted forwards and giggled as Jon ran after me, both blissfully unaware of the events that would soon transpire between us.

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Jon and I had to refrain from looking at each other too much out of the norm. When we entered the Great Hall, Jon withheld from touching me, his arms at his sides as he strided beside me. He glanced at my feet and gave me an amused expression. "Where are your shoes?"

I elbowed him in the side and replied, "I decided not to wear them today."

"Why?" He asked in curiosity as we took a seat at the our table, with him sitting next to me and with me sitting at the spot I was sitting at earlier. Ser Rodrick was still eating, unbothered by our presence.

I fondly looked at my bare feet beneath the table. "Because my family never wore shoes...and I wanted to try it for myself."

Jon chuckled and said, "That's very peculiar."

"It is." I agreed, finishing the piece of bread I started on earlier.

"Won't you get sick?" Jon questioned in concern.

"Maybe. But still...I would like to try it out." Jon smiled at me and was about to say something, when the 'thud' of a familiar velvet box landed in front of me.

I looked behind me to see Theon and Robb standing behind me. My eyes moved from the box to them and I quirked an eyebrow.

"Good morning." I said.

"We found this in the stables last night." Robb said, ignoring my greeting. He seemed a bit short with me today. "You should take better care of your possessions." He walked past me and went to go sit at the main table.

Noticing my confusion, Theon ran a hand through his hair as he sat down on the other side of me. "Robb is irritated."

"Why?"

"He thinks you're being irresponsible. Eyefire is no common stone that you can merely leave lying around." My mouth gaped open as he mentioned the stone's name and I asked, "You know about Eyefire?"

Theon snorted as he reached for some bread and started to butter it. "Of course I do. Only an idiot wouldn't recognize it."

I blushed and looked down at my plate, recalling how it was only recently that I found out about the precious gem. My blush died down as I also recalled how that any information regarding my family was kept from me, information including Eyefire.

I laughed nervously. "Right." I cleared my throat and reached for the dipper in the pot of porridge that sat in front of Theon. I ladled the white goop into my bowl and sprinkled it with some sugar. Before I could eat some, Theon reached across me and opened the velvet box.

"This will be safer around your neck." He was about to grab the necklace when Jon mumbled, "I'll get it." He snatched the necklace before Theon could and got up and went behind me.

Jon gently clasped the necklace and it rested on my collarbone nicely. His fingers lingered there for a moment before they retracted back to his sides. My mother's necklace was heavy and unfamiliar, and I felt like it was going to shatter by touching my skin. But still, I touched it and turned my head slightly and smiled at Jon. "Thank you."

His lips twitched upwards yet he still maintained his blank expression. "You're welcome."

He sat back down and Theon's gaze lingered towards our exchange. He ended up shrugging and served himself some food.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

I have to admit something to you all: Lessons as a Lady are hell.

Before, I would sit in the corner, basically just eavesdropping on everything, never getting asked questions and leaving early to go to do what I needed to do, in terms of chores.

Now, as a Lady, I was being subjected to a torture far more excruciating to my well-being than the whipping ever had been: dancing.

Before, I would just watch the dancing, occasionally stepping in, now I was being forced to dance on repeat with books on my head and a board strapped to my back.

Septa Mordane was a force to be reckoned with. She did not expect anything less than perfect and demanded it with everything that was done. With Sansa, Septa Mordane praised her gracefulness as she glided on the floor, her feet perfectly on par with the tempo of the music. With Arya, Sepat Mordane chastised her reluctance to participate, but when she did, she was actually pretty good. Even the Septa said that if Arya practiced more and would actually participate, she would be a better dancer than Sansa. With this, Arya stuck her tounge out at her older sister and squabbling ensued between them. I didn't do anything to seize their fighting, because I though that the more they argued the less time I would have to demonstrate how poorly my dancing skills were.

Unfortunately for me, Septa Mordane didn't care how long it would take. The short plump woman looked me straight in the eye when she told me, "Even if the sun sets and the rest of the castle is eating the last meal of the day, if you don't complete at least one dance properly, you'll be practicing until tomorrow."

It didn't help that I was getting commentary from the side of the room from both girls.

Ignoring the three other people in the room, I gritted my teeth as I tried not to trip while I was doing a series of spins.

"A Lady moves softly like water, not all clunky like a rolling boulder."

"Ophelia, don't look at your feet, you shouldn't-Why aren't you wearing shoes?! No one wants to see your feet. They look horrid!"

"Don't listen to her Ophelia, all Sansa knows how to do is complain."

"That is not true!"

"It is true! You do nothing but complain."

"Girls, stop fighting!"

The spins, their voices, the music...it was all too much. I stumbled on my left foot and fell face forward. As I laid sprawled out on the floor with books scattered everywhere, I heard Septa Mordane sigh and say, "How is it that you can balance four trays of tea, with all the fixings, but you can't dance to the simplest of jigs without falling over?"

No one helped me as I tried to get up. The difficulty of this action reminded me of a turtle trying to roll over onto their legs, only in reverse for me. I was on my stomach struggling to get up. The board on my back was making this hard for me to do.

You see, I knew the steps. Watching the others during their dancing lessons for years made it easy to memorize all the right moves. It was the thought of everyone watching me that was making me sweat and my blood turn cold.

Once I wobbled back up, I came face to face with the stern woman. She was shorter than me, as I was nearly Jon's height, (with him being taller by half an inch), but her steely gaze and present frown made me shrink down to the size of a mouse as she started to chastise me.

"You are a disgrace! How will you ever be invited to ball or a party or even to Court, if you can not even manage to dance to one song?!"

I heard Sansa snicker in the background and I turned to see her whisper to Arya, "Perhaps she's too chubby. It's probably throwing her off balance."

I felt dread wash through my body as I quickly stared down at my stomach, which at the moment was held in by my stays. I poked it. Sure, I wasn't as thin as Sansa, but I wasn't chubby. I may have had the smallest out of any pooch a person could have in the middle of their stomach, but it wasn't a huge gut. It was more like two small hills on a otherwise flat plain. Still...

I started to cover my torso with my arms out of self-consciousness. I caught a glimpse of Arya's Stark grey eyes watching me with a hint of sympathy. Those same Stark grey eyes suddenly turned wild as she hit her sister in the back of the head with a small fist. "You're a bully!' Arya stated loudly.

Sansa jerked back and a sneer came over her otherwise delicate features. "I am not! She is plump! Is it bullying if you're telling the truth?!"

"It's not the truth, though! You can't stand the fact the she's been getting more attention." Arya glared at her older sister and crossed her arms.

"And what would you know what a women's body should look like? You're not even a women, you're still a girl...one who looks like a little boy!" Sansa smirked and rolled her eyes as Arya visible seethed.

"I'd rather look like a boy than like you!" Arya shot back as she flicked her sister in the ear. Sansa slapped Arya's hand away.

"What do you mean by that?!" Sansa demanded.

"What I mean, is that you look like a stick with a ghoul's head on top! You don't even have a women's body, so how can you judge Ophelia for something you don't even have?! You aren't even a women yourself. You're just as much a girl as I. You haven't even bled yet!" Arya was sharp in her insults as Sansa's mouth opened in shock. She shoved Arya, who fell off of her chair. Arya got back up and sat down on her chair, hitting Sansa on the arm in the process of it all.

"Ow! That hurt!"

"It was supposed to, you idiot!"

They turned to one another and started to pull each other's hair and slap the other.

"Girls!", chastised Septa Mordane, "I will not have you bickering. If you do not stop, I will inform your father about your ghastly behavior."

The girls immediately stopped. A knock on the door had followed soon after. "What is it now?!" Exclaimed the short woman.

Robb poked his head inside and smiled. "Hello ladies."

I could see Septa Mordane's eye about to twitch at his intrusion. but she kept herself composed and nodded in Robb's direction. "Lord Robb. To what do we owe this unexpected pleasure?"

Robb grinned and made his way in. "I hope you forgive my intrusion, but I thought it would be a good idea to give these to Ophelia." In his hands were several heavy leather bound books, all stacked upon one another and fastened under a belted bookstrap.

He came over and placed them on my empty chair. Perhaps he was no longer annoyed at me.

"Thank you, Robb." Robb gave me a small smile and nodded in return.

From the corner of my eye I saw Arya looking between us. She jumped up from her seat and said, "Septa Mordane, perhaps Robb can help Ophelia! It would probably be easier if she learned a dance with a partner than by herself."

Septa Mordane looked surprised. "That is actually a great suggestion." They both peeredat Robb who paled and coughed into his hand.

Robb immediately stepped back towards the door and waved his hands in front of him in protest. "No Arya. I have to go back to the tiltyard-" "Robb! Please...Ophelia needs help. She's hopeless." Arya's eyes went wide with her plead and she looked sincere in the favor she was asking of him. Robb turned his head to me and took in my appearance. Meanwhile, I was blushing and scratching my arm as everyone looked at me.

"How long have you been at it with the dancing?" He asked me. I opened my mouth to answer but Sansa interuppted, talking to her brother from her place on the chair. "A couple hours at least." Robb sighed and looked down, deep in thought. He was probably contemplating a solution to get out of here as quickly as possible. He lifted his Tully blue eyes and said, "Just one dance." My eyes widened in shock. Arya grinned. She took his hand and led him to where I was standing.

He came in front of me and bowed while offering his hand. "My Lady, I would very much like the opportunity to dance with you."

Blushing, I looked to the side of me at Septa Mordane for permission. She gave me a nod and tentatively, I took Robb's hand as he led me to the middle of the room. Septa Mordane and Arya went to go sit in their respective seats.

Robb eyed the board that was strapped to me and started to undo the buckles in the front that held it in place.

"What are you doing?!" My voice was in a panic at the impropriety at his actions and my face flushed a bright color.

"You don't need this." Robb focused on undoing the last buckle and the board slid to the floor. He put his hand on the side of my face and gave me a smile. "I'll be here to keep you balanced." He darted his eyes to the instrument players in the corner and looked back at me. "Now, do you know the steps to the two-partner tarry?" I hesitantly nodded.

Robb grinned and took a step back. "Excellent. Let me lead, alright?"

I gulped. "Alright."

"Don't be nervous 'Felia." Robb's knowing look confirmed to me that he was aware about my fear of being the center of attention. My dark crimson eyes became determined. I will not make a fool of myself in front of Robb, especially since he is taking time out of his own schedule to help me.

Robb stood up straight and I matched his posture. He nodded over the musicians, who picked up their respective instruments and started to play a fiddle-dominated song. It was slow, leisurely, and intimate. He bowed to me, taking one of my hands in his own. His lips touched my knuckles and he let go of my hand, standing up straight once more.

We stood opposite of each other, and one the music began we both stepped forward, our movements in sync. Robb held out his left palm as I held out my right. They came together as we spun in a half circle, stopping, and then turned around. We put down our hands to our sides and put our other palms together. Slowly, the hands that once laid rested on our sides came up above our heads, meeting in the middle and grasping each other.

Robb held my gaze as we kept our slow spin with our palms still touching and our hands still holding. In that same position, he stepped back and I followed. He took a step to the side and then to the back. Robb glided us around the entire dance floor, during which we put down our clasped hands that arched over our heads. Our palms still touching, he spun me once and held my hand. Giving me a look, I knew what was coming next.

Robb guided me to stand in front of him and he put his hands on my waist, keeping my body close to him. He lifted me in the air. Robb smiled at me as I giggled at the sensation of being lifted up. I put my hands on his shoulders as slowly set me down, accidentally stepping on his foot. He didn't wince, but Robb did give me an amused look as he glanced down to see me barefoot.

I shrugged and we continued. Robb put one hand to the small of my back and one on my waist and dipped me down. He lowered me down and nearly put his forehead to mine. His smile that was once amused became serious and intense as he looked down at me. I blushed as he slowly raised me up. We stepped back from each other, spun in a slow half circle, and rejoined the other in the middle of the floor, during which I stumbled a couple times but nothing too bad to throw us off kilter.

Robb held out his hand and I took it. He spun me a couple times before we stepped closer to one another, our hands going up over our heads in a clasped archway again. Our unoccupied arms were now behind our backs as we turned in a circle.

We swayed several steps back and several steps forth in this position. Our lifted hands, still gripping one another, lowered between our faces. Our other hands lifted and held each closely underneath the hands beneath our faces.

We turned and then, we let go. Robb quickly step to the side of me, our hips touching, as one arm snaked around my waist. I put one arm around his shoulders as he lifted me with the one arm around my waist. Robb slowly spun us and didn't break any eye contact with me.

Robb set me down and took several steps back, facing in front of me. Both of our right hands extended to touch the other's check as we stationarily turned in a full circle. We switched our extended right hands to our left, now touching the other person's cheek, spinning in the opposite direction, this time three instead of one.

We took another step back, moving backwards several paces and then stepping forwards several more paces until we met again. Robb took my hands and held them between us and gave me a grin.

Robb knelt down in front of me on one knee and I did a small curtsy, signaling the end of the tarry.

Though this was not part of the dance, I smiled in thanks and put one hand to his cheek, to which Robb replied by holding it there for a moment longer than necessary. The musicians played the last of their notes and the music faded into silence.

I kept Robb's gaze and I helped him up from his kneeling.

Robb gave me a breathless chuckle and said, "You did good. Very good. Though next time, avoid stepping on my feet."

I giggled and looked to see Arya's eyes darting between us, Sansa with a shocked expression, and Septa Mordane beaming in admiration. "Well done you two! That was superb."

I blushed and looked down at my feet as Robb looked up and scratched the back of his head.

Septa Mordane looked between us and snapped her fingers as an idea came to her. "How about this?" She turned to Robb and said, "Lord Robb, if you wouldn't mind, perhaps you can tutor Ophelia in all the courts dances. She responds well with you, so perhaps she can become better under your tutelage." Septa Mordane looked away as she mumbled, "Gods knows she needs it."

I stepped back and shook my head at the idea. "Oh no! That would be too much. I could-"

"I'll do it." Robb's answer was firm as he gave me a smirk.

"What?" Arya stood from her chair, surprised at his answer.

He gave us all a wide grin and said, "I'll do it."

Septa Mordane clapped her hands together. "Wonderful."

I looked at Robb and then to my bare feet.

This was unexpected.

Robb smiled and said, "Well, as enjoyable as this was, I really must be getting back. Sisters, I hope you enjoy the rest of your lessons. Opehlia...", Robb stood in front of me and nodded, "thank you for the dance." He turned and left the room.

Meekly, I turned my head to see Septa Mordane dismiss the musicians.

"Now that dancing is over-", she walked over to some cupboards and pulled out three rolls of blank parchment and three heavy books, "-time to study some Arithmetic."

Even though we may not always see eye to eye, all three of us girls groaned in dismay.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

During the history portion of lessons, we learned about different holidays that people celebrate. The one that stuck out to me was Maiden's Day. It was fascinating how the people down South had a day to celebrate the Maiden from the Holy Seven. But it was disheartening to hear how some were excluded from the festivities. These people included wives, widows, elderly spinsters, and prostitutes.

When I heard about the the prostitutes, my mind immediately went to Ros and how I've been delayed in visiting her to give my thanks.

I felt bad that I hadn't gone to see her yet. I made plans to rectify this wrong by visiting her during my free time tomorrow. Noticing my enormous feelings of guilt, I made a mental note to make her something, as token of my gratitude.

Once Septa Mordane excused us after the conclusion of our lessons, I bolted from the room and ran to my own quarters. Shutting the door behind me, I noticed that Katherine was true to her word and altered many of my dresses, having folded them neatly on the bed. Also on my bed was the black velvet box for my necklace. I must've forgotten it in the Great Hall earlier. Katherine wasn't in my room, but I dismissed this as her having other chores to attend to. I put the books Robb gave me down on the chair near the fireplace.

As I was about to leave, I heard a distinguishable chirp coming from the cage.

I looked back over my shoulder to see Ethaesper bouncing in excitement at seeing me. Eyeing the mashed up worms in her cage, I knew that Katherine must have fed her. I walked over and opened the cage. I cupped my hands underneath my furry companion and placed her on my shoulder where she snuggled down. Ethaesper puffed out her fluff in happiness.

"Come on you!", I said the the chick, "let's go to the kitchens. We're going to need a couple things."

We went to the kitchens, where I slipped in among the hustle and bustle of many people rushing to get supper ready. I grabbed some empty bottles, milk, salt, and honey. I carried these out in my arms and made my way back. As I was nearing my door I heard, "Oi you!" I turned and saw Theon walking towards me. "What do you have there?" He asked once he came near me.

I glanced to the chick on my shoulder and looked back to Theon. "Are you referring to Ethaesper or the items in my arms?"

He rolled his eyes. "Both actually."

I lifted up my shoulder so Theon could get a better view of my new companion. "Theon meet Ethaesper. Ethaesper meet Theon."

Theon stepped a bit closer and examined the quiet chick. "What a puffball. Do you know what type of bird it is?"

I shook my head. "I haven't got the slightest clue, but hopefully once she grows more she'll give me some sort of clue."

"What a clever idea." Theon gave out a chuckle and nodded to my ingredients. "And what are those for?"

I smiled. "I'm going to make Ros a present when I visit her!"

I swear, if Theon was drinking something that moment, he would've spat it out. "You're going to see Ros?! For what?"

I continued to walk, carrying on my conversation with him as I made my way to my room "I wanted to say thank you to her, for helping with the whipping, so I'm going to make her a present and give it to her when I see her." Theon opened my door for me, shutting it as he followed me into the room.

"Why would you do that?"

I put everything down on the table and looked at my friend. "It's the least I could do. Besides, how often to prositiutes receive gifts that aren't from clients?"

Theon opened his mouth to answer and then closed it. He came to realizing when he answered in disbelief, "Not ever."

I snapped my fingers and pointed at him in agreement. "That's right. So I'm going to make her a milk bath!"

Theon looked skeptical. "Why would you make her something for a bath?"

I put my hands on my hips as I gave the Kraken a pointed look. "Well, you're familiar with women, are you not? Would you rather have a woman whose skin is soft or whose skin is rough?"

"Soft." Theon answered without a beat.

I grinned. "Exactly. That's why a milk bath is perfect!" I looked at the table and slapped my palm to my forehead as I realized my own disregard for one of the essential ingredients I needed. "Oh no! I forgot the rose oil extract."

Theon smiled lit up his face as he went over to the door. "Don't worry, I'll get it for you."

As soon as he left, something slid under my door. I went over and picked up a folded piece of parchment that's said:

 _'Felia,_

 _Meet me at the stables in one hour._

 _Time to start seeing what this is between us._

 _-J._

I grinned and held the letter to my heart. I looked back down at it, completely swooned by this unexpected surprise. I went over to the chest that contained my parents' things and I put it at the bottom, covering it up with my Father's hook swords.

After about thirty minutes, Theon returned with a small black vial in his hands and placed it on the table with the other ingredients. "You have no idea what I went through to get that for you." He grumbled.

I laughed as I poured the milk into a large empty bottle. "What did you have to go through?"

Theon groaned and dramatically threw himself on the chair as he said, "Let's just say that I got this from Maester Luwin and now I have to help clean up his room for a fortnight. This present better make Ros piss out gold, I'm warning you right now." His tone was lighthearted and joking, but an underlying sense of irritation is what caught my attention, and I had the distinct feeling that it was not just because of Maester Luwin.

I wanted to ask him what was wrong, but I didn't. Instead, I mixed up all of the ingredients in an empty milk bottle.

Once I finished, I put the cork in to seal the milky pink mixture.

"There we have it!" I gave Theon a wide smile as I held up the large bottle in one hand. "Good enough for at least three baths I reckon, four if she's willing to ration it out."

Theon clapped his hands sarcastically. "Look at you all dignified. Somebody alert the Citadel, we probably found the person who can cure greyscale with her milk concoction."

I rolled my eyes and set the bottle on the table. I cupped my bird and put her in her cage, where she cuddled up in her nest and started to sleep. I grinned and punched the Kraken on his shoulder as I left the room.

"Come on. I have to be somewhere."

Theon jumped up. "Can I come?"

I laughed and shook my head. "No. But I'll tell you what, you can come with me when I visit Ros."

Theon gave me a smirk and playfully pushed me a bit. "Fine. Go have fun at your somewhere."

I waved goodbye to him as I made my way towards the stables. "Oh I will."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Jon's lips were attached to the crook of my neck. His hands ran up my hoisted leg that was above his hip. I pulled him closer, my arms under his own.

We were on a soft grassy patch near the rushing waters of the White Knife. Several feet away from us was Jon's horse and to the side of where we were laid, was an empty basket that once held fruit, long since consumed.

I giggled as the rough lips belonging to a boy named Snow peppered kisses onto my skin.

Jon stopped and looked down at me. He was bemused by my giggling and I could only smile at him. "What's so funny?" His Stark grey eyes twinkled with happiness and he was actually smiling down at me.

I giggled again. "You're tickling me." I reached up and stroked his cheek, that had the lightest bit of stubble on it's smooth surface. His eyes closed as my fingers grazed his skin. I lifted my head up and lightly kissed his lips. His eyes snapped open again and they were intense with mischief.

"Really? Ticklish you say?" Jon grinned as he started to tickled the sides of my stomach and blow raspberries into my neck.

I squealed at this surprise attack.

"JON! Hahahahahaha-please stop! I can't breathe! Hahaha." He was unrelenting with his hands, but Jon lifted up his black curly-haired head and put his nose to mine. I could feel his hot breath ghosting my lips as he spoke. "Tell me something good and I'll stop."

His fingers started to reach up to my ribs, my most ticklish spot. "Fine! Umm...rainbows are pretty! Hahahahaha!" I started to squirm as he wouldn't stop. Jon smirked and shook his head. "Try again 'Felia."

"Honey is delicious!" Jon started to blow raspberries into my neck again as I shrieked with laughter. "Not good enough." He murmured against my neck.

There was short break when I blurted out, "I love your curly hair!"

Jon shot his head up fast and actually went wide-eyed at my exclamation. "You do?"

My laughs were still present but I answered, "Of course. I love curly hair."

Suddenly, a low rumble emitted from Jon's chest and he burst out laughing. He fell to the side of me and onto his back as he laughed. "I can't believe that was your good thing."

I went red as I sat up and looked down at him. "Well you didn't like my honey comment."

Jon placed his hands on his chest as he turned his head to look at me. "I just wasn't expecting you to say anything about me. It was random." He let out a chuckle and his hand reached up to twirl a fallen strand of hair in front of my face. "That's one of your qualities, I like best. You are always so unexpected. It's refreshing." His admission touched me and I turned an even deeper shade of red.

Then an idea came to me.

"Oh really?" I got on top of Jon, putting one knee of either side of his body, effectively straddling him.

Jon, for everything we had done with each other, was still bashful about some things when it came to women. So, it was his turn to become bright red and he put his hands on either side of my hips. "What are you doing?" His voice, though a bit wary, was gruff.

"This!" I bent down on top of him and started to tickle his sides like he did with me. To my disappointment though, he did not squirm. He only lifted one dark eyebrow and rolled his eyes. "Ophelia, I'm not tick-AHAHA!" His loud sudden yelp took us both by surprise, though mostly by the the volume of it more than anything. He looked down at my hands, which were now underneath his armpits and his eyes went wide. I grinned in victory. "That's right! I still remember where your tickle spot is!" His eyes pleaded with mercy as I suddenly started to attack his tickle spot with much ferocity.

Jon's laugh came out in huge bellows and his eyes shut as the smile that was on his face streched wide. "Ophelia, stop! Plea-Hahahahahahahahahaha!"

"Tell me something good." I demanded taking much enjoyment at his laughter.

Jon's Stark grey eyes snapped open as he looked at me wide-eyed. "What?!"

"You heard me!"

Unlike me though, he said something that made me stop on the first comment. "You're the first girl I've ever kissed." I seized my movements and sat up, leaning back away from him.

"Wait what?"

Jon's laughter subsided into chuckles as he slowly sat up, with me still in his lap. "You're the first girl I have ever kissed."

My mouth went open and my eyebrows scrunched together. I put my arms around Jon's neck as he snaked his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him. "Is that true?"

He nodded. I felt my heart melt. That was his good thing.

Jon Snow, the moody bastard of Winterfell, leaned his forehead to mine and gave me an intense look. "You are the first girl I have ever kissed, and if everything goes to plan, I would have you be the last."

My heart skipped a beat as I whispered, "Really?"

Jon nodded, and he said, "I very much like kissing you. I couldn't imagine doing it with any other girl."

I giggled as I pecked his lips. "And what is your plan for us, Jon Snow?"

"Hmmm..." Jon scrunched his face in a pretense of thinking things through before he continued, "I would want us to enter into a courtship."

I smiled and kissed his neck. "And what else?" I leaned back to look into his eyes.

"Then, I would make a proper woman out of you?"

I laughed and ran my fingers through his hair. "And how would you go about that?"

Jon's face turned serious as he said, " 'Felia, you're the only girl that would never care about my status as a bastard. You don't care that I'm a-", Jon swallowed thickly before he said, "-Snow. It's never mattered to you. If I were to marry you, there would be no qualms on my end because we've grown up together and I know you." Jon let out a breath and confessed in all earnestness, "Me...wanting to be with you...it all seems very natural. Almost like a second nature. Marrying you...I wouldn't feel the guilt of having my name associated with you because you wouldn't care."

Marry. Jon said marry. Jon Snow wants to marry me eventually.

"You want to marry me?" My voice was quiet, an extreme opposite of what I was feeling on the inside.

Jon smirked and tightened his hold in my waist. "And what do you expect happens at the end of a courtship? Tea and biscuits?"

"You never wanted to be married to anyone." I retorted to his comment.

He kissed my forehead and looked me deep into my eyes. Grey met crimson when Jon said, "Aye. Because there is no else I want to spend my life with than you."

I looked at him with furrowed eyebrows in concern. "And if things don't go according to plan?"

Jon sighed and seemed deep in thought. Then he looked up and said, "Can you move off of me for a second?" I got off of his lap and Jon bent on one knee, reaching into his boot, and pulling out a large hunting knife.

Jon mumbled something incoherent, and I leaned forward to hear what he said.

"Can you repeat that?", I asked, "I didn't quite hear what you had said."

Jon's curls framed his face as he commanded, "Stand up."

I did as I was told very slowly. Jon then took my hand, cutting a deep line in my right palm, and he did the same to his left. I winced as the blade ran across my skin leaving a thick red trail behind. He placed the knife back into his boot. Jon stood and he clasped our hands together, meshing our cuts and blood into one.

He gave me a serious look and put his forehead to mine. He held his uncut palm to my cheek and said, "Blood of my blood, bone of my bone, I swear, no matter what happens, whatever bad there might be, I will always be in your life. If the stars fall, if the oceans set afire, if all life is gone I will still be here for you. No matter what, we will always find a way to one another." My breath hitched and I closed my eyes, relishing in Jon's promise. Jon never broke his promises. He always stayed true.

I couldn't help myself. I crashed my lips onto his and they molded together as Jon laid me down on the grassy floor of the forest.

He was right.

We would always find our way to be in each other's lives. He spoke true when he said I didn't care that he was a bastard. If we were to ever marry, Jon's title as Snow wouldn't matter to me. I knew that I would still care for him no matter what-

 _SNAP!_

The snapping of a twig stopped Jon's kisses to me. He quickly got off of me and once again pulled the knife out from his boot.

"Ophelia...", he whispered, motioning me over to him, "get behind me." I quickly sat up and crawled over behind Jon who was crouching in front of me. He looked concentrated at a pair of pushes that were blocking something. He looked back at me, suddenly very protective. "I'm going to see what it is. If need be, run off towards Wintertown without me." I nodded obediently, fearful of what was behind the thick bush.

Jon looked behind it and shook his head. "It's nothing. Come on, we should get back." I hesitantly nodded and packed up the basket. Before mounting the horse, Jon bandaged up our hands, making sure they were firmly wrapped. He then helped me onto his horse and once he got on, we went back to the castle.

The ride was long, and we both talked about random things, like the weather, his lessons, my lessons. I even told him about dancing with Robb which he took with much amusement.

"I'm not much of a dancer myself." Jon admitted. I smiled. "That makes two of us."

Jon and I arrived at Winterfell as it was getting dark. He helped me off before he went to go out the horse back in the stables. I gazed longingly at his retreating back and skipped back to the Great Hall where many people were entering for supper. Before I could go sit down I was jerked back by my upper arm.

Katherine pulled me to a shadowed corner and hissed, "Where in the Seven Hells were you?"

I looked back to see where Jon was entering and I started to sweat, doing my best to think of an excuse. "I-uhh-I was just at the-the ummm..." Katherine rolled ger brown eyes and snapped, "Listen it doesn't matter. Lady Stark..." I didn't listen to what she was saying. My gaze was focused on the boy with curly black hair. He strided into the room and to my vision of sight, he stood under a beam of light as he stared at me before he sat down. I sighed.

"So is the answer a yes or no?" Katherine finished. I kept staring at the boy I had kissed earlier and then said, "What? Oh yeah...sure." I didn't hear what she asked, but judging by her confused look she asked, "Really?" I nodded not even paying attention. "Alright, if you are certain." She let go of me and went to the main table and whispered something into My Lady's ear. My Lady smiled brightly at Katherine.

I went and sat down next to Theon. He was busy telling a story to some of the other people at our table and absent mindedly scooted over so I could sit with next to him. Jon sat on my other side and helped serve me some food.

During our meal, while Theon was telling his stories and jokes, Jon and I kept fiddling with each other's fingers under the table. After eating, I gave Jon a wink and excused myself, heading up to the library in the tower. I heard footsteps and smiled as I knew the person who was following me. I walked in the shadows up the steps until I got to the heavy wooden door. I went in and gently closed it, making my way to the back of the library where it was only lit a dim lamp hanging on the wall.

I put my back to the a shelf filled to the brim with books and I heard the footsteps approaching me.

"Hello- Oh...hi Robb...". I was so glad it was dim because my blush was furious. Robb gave me a a side eyed look as he glanced towards my bandaged hand.

"What happened there?" He asked me, taking a step forward and grabbing it to inspect my wound, going to unwrap the bandage. I jerked my palm from him and held it to my chest. I clutched it tightly in a ball.

"N-n-nothing. Just a really bad paper cut."

Robb's eyes lit up and he smiled brightly. "So you read the books then?"

I was confused but I went along with it anyway. "Oh yeah...loads of books. Lots of words." I mentally slapped myself for being awkward again.

Robb chuckled and scratched the back of his dark auburn hair. "Aye. I know they are a bit long and tedious, but I thought you would like learning some more about your family."

I snapped my head up. "M-my family?"

Robb chuckled. "A Detailed Look Into The History of House Pyralis is quite a fascinating read, though as stated by the title there are lots of details, but the others I had given you are shorter.." My eyes widened. I didn't even take a look at the books Robb had given me. It was really thoughtful of him to give me ones about my family.

Robb continued by saying, "Though I prefer the Songs and Lores of the Dragon and the Phoenix. It was less stuffy and more intriguing. Lots of adventures in that one."

"That's was very nice of you to give me those. Thank you." Robb grinned and shrugged it off. "It wasn't any trouble. I thought it might be nice for you to read about your relatives, at your own pace,-", He lowered his voice and gave me a wink, "-without any tears or guilt."

I gave him a small smile and then asked, "So why are you here?"

He crossed his arms and gave me a mildly suspicious look, "I could ask you the same question."

"I...uh...I just wanted to see if there were any more books on my family." I bit my lip and stared at the ground hoping he would buy my lie.

He did. "I'm sorry Ophelia, but those were the only two in the library. I had to dig through stacks of old books just to find those two." I looked up to seem his face remorseful and actually sympathetic.

I gave a fake sigh. "Oh...ah well. You can't have everything you want, right?" I shrugged and walked past him. Before I left, I heard Robb call out, "Does Fluffy enjoy her cage?"

I whipped around really fast and stared at him in shock. "You were the one who put the cage in my room? I thought one of the servants did." Robb laughed, his Tully blue eyes lighting up at my clearly evident surprise. "No...it was me. I thought it would be nice for your companion to have their own space."

I was touched. I went over and hugged him. "Thank you."

He hugged me back and replied with, "You're welcome. Oh and by the way take care of your things. It would be a shame if someone stole your necklace. Alright?" I let go of him and nodded.

I walked backwards and bumped into the door. "Well...I will see you tomorrow. Good night." Robb gave me a smile and said, "Good night, 'Felia."

Once the door shut behind me, I ran down the stairs faster than I could and I stumbled on the last two steps, falling on my bottom.

"Ow.." I muttered to myself, rubbing my backside as I stood up.

"Are you alright?" I looked up to see Theon, doing his best to hold in his laughter as he watched me pick myself off of the floor.

I nodded and then the Iron Islander burst into laughter. He strided forward and shook his head, "It is to my firmest belief that the Gods put you here to entertain everyone just by your clumsiness. Perhaps they needed some good entertainment as well."

I rolled my eyes but giggled along with him, despite just humiliating myself in front of him. "Have you seen Jon?" I asked. My eyes darted around the area but he was no where to be seen. "I needed to tell him about these interesting books Robb gave me."

Theon gave me a confused stare and glanced around the area like I had. "No...last I saw he was still eating in the Great Hall."

I looked down at my bare feet in disappointment. Perhaps he didn't see my wink. "Oh..that's fine. I can just tell him tomorrow."

I dusted off my dress some more and Theon stepped up to me handing me the light pink bottle of milk bath that I made for Ros. "Here."

I pointed to the bottle. "What do I need this for?"

Theon came next to me and put his arm around my shoulder. "Come with me." Hesitantly, I walked with him to his room. Theon looked around and then said, "Go in. Quickly! Before someone sees you." I quickly rushed into his room without a second thought and my breath was caught in my throat at the sight of a certain redheaded woman in a light blue dress and travelling cloak sitting at the foot of Theon's bed, picking at her nails and seemingly bored out of her mind.

Ros looked up when she heard the door opening and cocked her head to the side at seeing me. Theon quickly entered behind me and shut his door, latching the lock.

Her rosy pink mouth opened and closed before she pointed to me and her eyes lit up in recognition. "Ophelia." "Ros." We acknowledged each other. She knew of me, as I knew of her. We had only spoken one other time before this moment.

I started to scratch my arm with the corked bottle and Ros whistled a random tune looking away from me.

How do you start a conversation with someone who you only to talked to when you were bleeding from your back?

I decided to go first. "I...uhh...um here." I walked over and gave Ros the large light pink bottle. She nodded and held it up in the air as she inspected it.

"What is this?" She asked. Ros uncorked it and smelled it. A small smile appeared on her face. "Is this some sort of drink? It's scent is divine."

I shook my head furiously. "I...uhh...no...it's actually a milk bath." I coughed into my hand.

Ros' red eyebrows shot up into her hairline at what it actually was. "A..a milk bath?" She repeated in disbelief, her dark blue eyes shooting to Theon (who shrugged and a made a 'go-along-with-it' motion) and then back to me.

I blushed an even darker shade of red. Maybe she wouldn't like it. "Yeah...it's a milk bath. It makes the skin soft...I made enough for three baths...four if you uhh...if you ration it right."

Her cheeks went red and she clutched the bottle tightly to her chest. When Ros looked at me, her eyes shone with appreciation at the gift. "Thank you! Things like this are such luxaries for people...in my line of work." My heart fell. I stepped closer and said, "It's the least I could do...you helped me when I was..." My voice trailed off and I looked away.

Ros set the bottle on the bed and went to stand in front of me. She put a finger beneath my chin and made me look at her. She gave me one of the most sincere smiles I have ever seen anyone give and replied, "I only did what needed to be done." I fiddled with my hands and swallowed any tears that threatened to spill out. I gave out a small laugh. "If you want anymore of the bath...let me know and I'll make you some more. I would really like for us to be friends...", I grabbed her hands and smiled at her, "...can we please be friends?"

Ros seemed shocked at my proclamation, but she gave me a brief hug. "I would like that...I don't have many friends...I would enjoy being yours very much."

We already had something in common. "I don't have very many friends either."

I gave out a breath of relief and shifted my eyes to Theon, who was biting his thumb and leaning against the wall looking at us. "As soon as I left your room, I sent a raven to Ros and asked her to come to Winterfell. She had no knowledge of you wanting to see her. I didn't know if you would still be apprehensive about going into town, so I brought her here instead."

I ran over and gave the Kraken a big hug around his torso. "Thank you..." I whispered into his chest. "This means so much to me." His arms wrapped around my shoulders. "I know it does. That's why I did it."

I stepped back and looked at the two of them. "I...should probably get to bed. But Ros...", The red haired prostitute looked at me, "I'm going to keep in touch. Perhaps even visit...next time we see each other, will you tell me how the bath came out?" Ros beamed and nodded. "Of course. I look forward to it." I grinned and waved at the both of them. "Good night!"

I left Theon's room with a skip in my step. Once I made it to my room, I made sure to latch the door shut so Katherine wouldn't come in and help me dress for bed.

As the material of my nightgown slid down my bare body, my mind wandered to where the Bastard of Winterfell was tonight. Perhaps he was busy...Ser Rodrick probably needed to talk to him or maybe he was tired from our outing today.

Nonetheless, I took Ethaesper out of her cage and put her on the bed with me. I fell asleep till the next morning.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Katherine was angry with me.

I woke up early, got myself dressed, and went to breakfast before she was even in my room.

When she found me at my usual spot in the Great Hall, eating some bacon, she hissed at me that I was making her look bad and stalked off to the kitchens to go find something to do and something to eat.

I paid no mind to what she said and finished my breakfast. Everyone had flooded into the Great Hall to eat the first meal of the day.

Everyone except one person.

My mouth twisted down into a frown as I noticed the object of my affections was not present. I excused myself early, right before lessons, to go see where he was.

And I found him.

Sparing with a hay filled dummy in the tiltyard. I grinned and walked up behind him. I put my hands over his eyes and whispered in his ear, "Guess who?"

Jon didn't answer. He jerked away from me and ignored my presence. He kept on hitting the dummy.

My smile faded.

Something was off.

I knew Jon, probably better than I knew myself. Jon attacked the dummies with that much ferocity when he was angry...actually, when he was furious.

Jon hit the dummy with his sword over and over. As he raised his right arm to deliver a blow, I caught him by his bicep, causing his movements to seize.

"Stop!" I cried out as he tried to pull his arm from my hold. He turned around, his eyes blazing, his black curls damp with sweat.

I immediately hugged his torso and he tensed up. Jon tried jerking away, but after several attempts to remove himself from my relentless hold, he eventually dropped his sword and hugged me back.

"What's wrong? You can tell me." I told him this is a quiet voice.

Jon's hold on me only grew tighter yet he remained silent.

"Jon, please! Tell me what's wrong. How can I fix it? What can I do to make it better?"

Jon stepped back from me as if I had the plague.

"I want you to forget." Jon muttered.

I was confused. "Forget what?"

"Us. Whatever this is. It needs to end."

I felt my heart stop.

"What are you talking about?"

Jon only stared at his sword. "I wanted to hurt you...like you had hurt me. So I faked it...everything. My feelings for you...my intentions with you...I just wanted to see how far you'd be willing to go. And you went far." Jon gave out a dark chuckle, which faded away as he glared me down.

A grim epiphany came to me like someone punched me in my stomach.

"You were playing with me."

Jon shook his head and smirked. "You're not as stupid as you look."

I couldn't breathe. I never saw it coming. Sure the thought passed through my mind, but I never actually took it seriously. I believed that thought as much as I believed we were living in the eye of a blue giant. I suppose nothing is impossible.

My voice quivered. "Why...why would you do that? This isn't like you. I thought you had forgiven me for that. I didn't mean it."

"Did I ever say that you were forgiven?!

"No, but you-".

Jon threw his sword on the ground and got in my face. I was suddenly very fearful by the wild look in his eyes. "You called me a fucking bastard. I know what I am, but you hurt me. You were the one person who never hurt me, and you became like the rest of them!" I flinched when he seethed out his thoughts. "I wanted to do the same to you and make you as miserable as you made me and that is exactly what I did! I played you like a fiddle... And you never saw it coming."

I couldn't breathe.

I was numb.

The cut that he had made as seal for his promise felt like it was set aflame by this revelation.

My eyes became glassy as I stepped back and nodded. "Great job, Jon. You really had me fooled. You played me so well, I never saw it coming. I'm...I'm just going to go."

Jon picked up his sword and turned his back to me. "Forget about this. Understand?".

He couldn't see me but I nodded as I held my stomach and walked away. "Consider it forgotten." I whispered.

Feeling sick, I started to run to my room. I bumped into someone and when I saw who it was, I merely hugged their chest and started sobbing like I was a child.

"Ophelia, what's wrong?" I only shook my head as Theon wrapped his arms around me. He put his hands under my legs and hoisted me up. My sobs wracked my body as Theon carried me back to my room. He was trying to talk to me but I couldn't hear what he was saying.

"I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" I repeated it like a holy prayer and the only thing I could see was Theon's panicked face and his lips moving, trying to say something that my ears would not allow me to hear.

I felt sick and I started to gag.

He used me.

He toyed with me.

I was nothing more to him than a whore used for carnal pleasures.

But these were minor compared to the big bad he really committed.

Jon Snow didn't just lie.

Jon Snow lied to me.

Why did that hurt me?

Because Jon always stayed true.

He never lied.

Unless it came to me.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

 _3rd P.O.V Winterfell_

 _Jon Snow was in love._

 _He had been in love for years. He tried to ignore it at first, chalking it up to simple admiration. Yet as a young boy he knew this would only grow._

 _And it did._

 _With every giggle, with every sunny smile, with every awkwardly clumsy moment, his fondness for Ophelia grew._

 _Jon never saw himself as one to settle down and have children. But the day he fully realized that he loved Ophelia was the day he knew that he wanted everything that seemed mundane. He wanted to court this young woman. He wanted to ask for her hand. He wanted to marry her with his brother by his side and his father walking her down the aisle. He wanted to make love to her on their wedding night, and every night after. He wanted to see her belly become round with his pup. He wanted to see their children surround them, and then their grandchildren after that._

 _He loved her._

 _She was always there, always with him, on his side. She was the best ally, friend, and partner in crime he has ever had. To Jon, loving Ophelia was as easy as breathing._

 _Yet, he knew Ophelia. She would want to take time. She wasn't like Sansa, who would fall in love with anyone handsome and high up on the social ladder. She wasn't like Arya, who was put off by the whole institution of marriage._

 _Ophelia simply liked to take her time._

 _And that was fine with him. She could take a thousand years and he would still wait for her._

 _When did he start loving Ophelia?_

 _Was it when they cuddled together as children?_

 _Was it when she almost died in White Harbor?_

 _Was it when she focused her attention only on him for several years before Theon came along?_

 _Jon remembered how as a boy, he went to White Harbor with her and Robb and his father. Lord Stark had given each child one silver piece and while Robb and Ophelia spent it on candy, he wanted to save his to buy the perfect gift for her._

 _And he did._

 _He saw the seaglass bracelet and knew that was it. He beamed brighter than the sun when he exchanged his silver piece for the bracelet. He remembered how his heart was pounding like a hammer as he gave her the perfect gift and he remembered how for the first time in his life, someone left him breathless by a mere hug._

 _Jon Snow's love for Ophelia Pyralis was unfathomable. Bigger than Sothroyos and deeper than all the seas combined._

 _He didn't want to push her into loving him. But judging by how she looked at him with those big eyes of hers and those blushing cheeks, she was well on her way to falling for him._

 _The Gods had blessed him. He could see that in the way she fumbled around him. He could touch it with every caress she gave him. He could feel it everytime she called him by his name._

 _The Gods were real, he knew that to be true._

 _The evidence was in the form of a perfectly imperfect person._

 _As Jon sat in the Great Hall, finishing up his supper, his mind drifted to his plans of going to the Wall. They were still in tact if she refused his advances. And there was nothing more noble than serving as a Ranger, protecting the realm from any dangers Beyond the Wall had to offer. Soon, Jon's mind drifted to how men at the Wall are celibate._

 _He closed his eyes as he thought about what it would be like if they ever did get married. As much as they fooled around, Jon would never push Ophelia into anything that would shame her. Plus, he was a bit nervous about actually consumating their relationship more than anything else. But it was nice to daydream._

 _Jon thought about what she looked like naked. He thought about her moans and what it would sound like when he would finally enter her, breaking through her maidenhead, making sure she was just as comfortable as he was, or even more so._

 _He thought about what it would be like as he made love to her, if she would arch her back with pleasure or if she would wrap her legs around his hips as he thrusted into her._

 _He thought about how she would look every morning when they were married. Did she still rub her eyes like she did when they little, or has that habit been long gone?_

 _With Ophelia, Jon Snow felt whole._

 _He wasn't a bastard._

 _He wasn't a shame to the Stark name._

 _He wasn't a burden._

 _He was simply Jon._

 _And she made him want to be better even then._

 _Jon quickly polished off his plate and stood up. He didn't say anything as he started to make his way out of the Great Hall to go meet up with his love._

 _Right before he went outside he heard his name being called. Jon turned and saw his brother, Robb, jogging over to him._

 _Jon nodded to his brother. "Stark. What can I do for you?"_

 _Robb seemed a bit bothered. His forehead was scrunched up and He was rubbing his hands together in a nervous fret. He cleared his throat. "Jon, my mother wants a word with you."_

 _Jon could feel himself freezing, but he did not let it show. "She does?" Jon looked behind Robb to see that the Lady of Winterfell was nowhere to be found. Jon turned back to his half-brother. "Aye. And where is she?"_

 _"In her Study. She asked me to tell you to meet her there." Robb leaned forward and spoke on a low voice. "What did you do? She seemed very short this evening."_

 _Jon's mind went back to several different things. Did he say something that was offensive? Was his appearance too untidy? Perhaps he was being legitimized. Jon could feel his face contorting into a scowl at that thought. It was highly unlikely that he would ever be legitimized._

 _Jon clapped his brother on the shoulder. "I haven't the slightest clue. Aye. Well, I best go see her."_

 _Robb's Tully blue eyes bored into Jon and asked in a serious voice, "Would you like for me to come with you? I know how Mother can be..."_

 _Jon shook his head, the curls on top bouncing as he did so. "No...I will be fine. Enjoy your evening, Stark."_

 _"You too, Snow."_

 _Jon left in the other direction to the Study. Once he made his way, he knocked on the door three times._

 _A muffled voice beckoned him._

 _He went inside and closed the door._

 _Lady Stark was sitting at her desk, reading some scrolls. She didn't even look up as she said, "Sit. We have much to discuss."_

 _With much hesitation, Jon sat down and became as still as a statue. The tension in the room was so thick, one could cut into it._

 _Lady Stark looked up at him._

 _"I have heard that you wish to take the Black." Jon felt him self deflate with relief. So that's what this was about?_

 _"Yes, My Lady. It is something that is in the cards."_

 _Lady Stark rose a skeptical red eyebrow at him and pursed her lips. She stood up and walked around the desk to stare down at him._

 _"I think that is very honorable. I commend you for it."_

 _"Thank you."_

 _It was silent again. Suddenly, Jon felt the sense that something was off. There was more to this conversation that she wasn't saying. Jon Snow and Catelyn Stark made it a point to always avoid each other, so no conflict would arise. But now..._

 _"Do you know the vows that a brother of a Night's Watch must take?" Catelyn asked._

 _Jon could feel the corners of his mouth tugging upwards as he recalled the discussion he had that morning with Ophelia. "Of course. Everyone does."_

 _Catelyn narrowed her eyes at him. "Forgive me for asking...but it does seem curious to me why someone so adamant on joining a celibate brotherhood would dally with Lord Stark's ward."_

 _Jon felt his blood run cold. His eyes widened with disbelief._

 _She knew._

 _Catelyn Stark knew about him and Ophelia._

 _How though?_

 _They were discreet. There was no way she could have known unless..._

 _Jon suddenly felt sick at his realization: someone saw them together._

 _It wasn't that he was ashamed of being with her, or her being ashamed of him, but he intended to keep whatever it was between them quiet until he could ask his father for permission to court her._

 _"I...I...I don't like men." Jon quickly answered, hoping to redirect it to something else._

 _"We are not discussing Theon Greyjoy!", Catelny snapped, "Ophelia Pyralis. You were seen with her being far too intimate for it to be platonic. Do you deny this?"_

 _Lie. A small voice was telling Jon to lie. But he shook his head at that. He would not cower behind a lie. If he loved Ophelia as much as he claimed he did, he would speak the truth. What's the worse that could happen? Someone finding out? Well, someone already did._

 _"I do not deny this. Who told you?"_

 _Jon could not have seen the slap coming. His cheek stung and his head was turned to the side. Jon held his cheek as he stared at the fuming Lady of Winterfell in shocked silence._

 _"How. Dare. You." She ground out. "It matters not who told me. She is my friend's only daughter and you think you could defile her?! You're beneath her in every way. You're a bastard and she is a noble!"_

 _Jon stood up. "I did not defile her. She is still a maiden."_

 _Catelyn seemed appeased for a moment before she scowled at him. "You will break things off before they begin, do you understand me? She is too good for you."_

 _"I cannot do that. Things have already begun." It was true. To Jon, what was between them begun years ago, when they were still children._

 _"Ophelia is a Pyralis, and you are a Snow. She is meant for greater things besides being a bastard's whore."_

 _Jon felt his temper soar. His fists clenched and his eyes narrowed._

 _"At this moment, I have no care if you are my father's wife. You will watch your tounge when you speak about Ophelia! She is no whore. You say she is meant for greater things? Is that why you sent her to work?! Aye, she is an aristocrat but you put her to work the same as a scullery maid. For someone who defends the Pyralis name, your actions do not line up with your words." If someone had told Jon the year before that he would one day talk back to his father's wife, he would have called them crazy. Yet here he was, standing his ground._

 _"How dare you talk to me that way-"_

 _Their arguing was interuppted by another person._

 _The door opened and in stepped Lord Stark. He shut it behind him and felt horrible for what he was about to do._

 _When his wife came to him earlier that day with claims about Ophelia and Jon, he wasn't that surprised. He was only surprised that it took so long._

 _History tends to repeat, especially when it came to a Pyralis._

 _It seemed nature had run it's course by joining these two together._

 _But Ned knew of the dangers that would come if the two ever courted. It would put Jon in danger, and he was not willing to risk his safety over an infatuation._

 _It needed to end._

 _Jon's eyes widened. "Lord Stark...I..." He looked back at Cat and then to his Father. Jon was instantly aware as to why the Lord of Winterfell was present: He knew as well._

 _"Wife...I will speak with Jon alone." Catelyn could only glare. She nodded and left the room in a flurry of skirts._

 _The door slammed shut and Ned knew he would have to deal with her later on._

 _Lord Stark sighed and rubbed his head. How was he going to go about this?_

 _Jon wasted no time in pleading his case though._

 _"Please Father! I want to court Ophelia, I want to marry her. We don't even have to stay here, we can go elsewhere as soon as we're wed so you won't have to be troubled by us. I just want to be with her."_

 _Lord Stark pitied the boy, but he was still firm in his descion._

 _"I have no doubt that you do. But there are several matters at stake."_

 _"Like what?" Ned raised an eyebrow at Jon's rise of temper but did not say anything. He wanted to tread carefully and not wake the beast within Jon._

 _"First, she is a Pyralis. Even though that name holds no sway as it once did, she is still an aristocrat. You are a Snow, and you are not legitimized. Your union would be looked down upon. Then there is the matter of the King, who would rather Ophelia be dead than married. Before she was born, he asked me to choose her husband and that is why Lady Stark and I have decided to throw her a nameday party. For her to meet eligible men from good families who are willing to marry her. I don't want any more attention on her than necessary, and by her marrying you..."_

 _"Everyone would scrutinize her." Jon felt like he was kicked in the gut. So...his bastard status really was a problem...even though she said it didn't bother her, it could put her in a negative light full of unwanted attention._

 _"Exactly. And by her marrying a Lord she can be well provided for. I know you mean well, but you have no means to support her. How would you live? How would you get by?_

 _"I could try my hand at farming or I could be a fisherman or I could be a sellsword. I would think of something so we would not be destitute. "_

 _Ned could only shake his head. Jon was ignorant and extremely naïve._

 _"Jon, you've never farmed a day in your life. You don't know the land or how to work it. It takes years to become someone with that sort of expertise and you don't have years for Winter is Coming. The same goes for being a fisherman. And if you were to become a sellsword, you could have a target on your back. You would either be dead or gone long periods of time. Is that the sort of life you would want for your wife, and perhaps even your child?"_

 _"I love her. I loved her for many years now. Please Father, I never asked for anything from you. This is the only time I ever asked you for something that I want. Let me marry her." Jon was begging with his father, pleading with him like a small child pleading for an expensive present. "You always give the others anything they ask for as long as it is in reason. I swear, allow me to marry her and we'll go far away from here. We'll leave the country if it means that she will be away from prying eyes."_

 _"But what you're asking for isn't in reason. No good will come of it. Jon, if you love her...if you really care for her as much as you say you do, you will let her go. She deserves more than what she has gotten so far, and this is her chance for more._

 _Jon understood. He would never be enough for her. But someone might._

 _"How should I go about it?" He said in a cracked voice._

 _It saddened Ned to see Jon this way. All Ned wanted was for all of the children in his family to be happy. But sometimes happiness can't be put above safety. For the first time in years, Ned saw a hint of the small boy he had raised that would hide behind his curls to avoid being seen when he cried._

 _Still...it had to be done. Ned prayed this choice was the right one._

 _"You need this to be permanent. I do not want to hear of this again. You must thoroughly break her heart."_

 _Jon felt tears welling up as he stepped back from his father . "I don't want to hurt her."_

 _"I know Jon...but it's for the best. You must do this so she can have a better future."_

 _Jon nodded, reluctantly obedient to his father's word._

 _Jon was about to leave when Ned said, "And Jon? Don't tell her about this conversation. It's best if this stays between you, me, and Lady Stark. Do I make myself clear?" His tired voice left no room for argument._

 _Jon nodded once more and left the room._

 _Ned sat down and put his head in his hands. He really, really, really wished he could give Jon what he wanted. Jon deserved a comfortable life with a woman he loved. But the fate had other plans and life was not so kind. Even as it pained him, Jon's safety meant more to him than Jon's happiness._

 _No matter what he did to make things right, Ned would always be paying the price for his promise._

 _This time with self hatred and guilt._

 _This descion was one of the hardest he had ever had to make. But people would ask questions about the boy who married the last Pyralis._

 _Questions that would endanger Jon and cause Ned to break his promise._

 _Happiness, as beautiful as it is, will never be prioritized over safety._

 _Ned loved both Ophelia and Jon. He could see how even as children, it would eventually come to the unity of both their hearts into one._

 _Ned was conflicted._

 _He desperately wanted Jon to be content...but in the end if he had to choose (and he really did have to choose in this moment) he would rather Jon be safe than happy._

 _Out of everyone in Winterfell, Jon was probably meant to be with Ophelia the most._

 _Had it been another life, where everyone that mattered was alive, the kingdom would probably be celebrating at the sight of those two together._

 _Or disgusted, depending how one viewed it._

 _Ned knew that in another life Jon's mother would like Ophelia for her son. She would fit seamlessly into their world, had she been raised by both Rowtag and Seraphine._

 _But that was another life. He had to focus on this one._

 _Ned Stark would not sleep easy that night._

 _So the next morning, Jon Snow hurt the person he never wanted to harm. He hurt her far worse than she had ever hurt him._

 _And as she left, he was grateful he didn't see the tears that fell from his eyes._

 _He was thankful that she did not see the hurt on his face._

 _And he was happy she could not see inside of him and view his broken heart._

 _He loved her, but was forced to let her go._

 _It was for the best._

 **So there you go! Some of you are gonna mad lol Anyways, I hope I did a good job explaining Jon's point of view on his feelings. If we could please get this up to 68 reviews, I would be so happy! There's a lot of you and I would like to hear your opinions on what went down in this chapter. Next chapter: Theon gets angry, Ophelia gets depressed, party plans, and an unexpected opportunity for Ophelia. Anyways read, review, and rest easy! :D**


	15. Chapter 15

**So...last chapter. It was pretty bad for my character. But the bad times will not last! :D Thank you to all who reviewed, and thank you to Kit Harington, for showing the video of him scaring Rose Leslie on April Fool's Day. It brings me so much laughter every time I see it! :)**

 **As always, I own nothing but Ethaesper, Ophelia, Katherine, and House Pyralis.**

1st P.O.V. Winterfell.

I was numb.

I felt like I was floating through the air, like a feather caught in a breeze.

After Theon took me to my room, he laid me down on my bed, and ran to go find My Lady and Maester Luwin.

When the trio came back, I wasn't crying anymore.

I wasn't gagging and I didn't feel sick.

I was frozen, my face blank as I stared up at the ceiling.

I felt like I had an out of body experience.

I could see myself simply staring up at the ceiling, my eyes still a bit red from crying, my light olive skin was now as pale as...as...as snow.

My chest was going up and down in shallow breaths and I wasn't responding to what Maester Luwin was saying to me.

I could see him checking my temperature with his hand, checking my breathing, checking everything. Theon kept asking the Maester questions, biting his thumb in worry, trying to get me to talk to snap out of it. But I couldn't.

Meanwhile, My Lady looked discomforted by my state. She kept to the back of the room, her face unusually stoic, her arms held to her chest, but her eyes filled with much sorrow and pain. She looked conflicted. About what? I didn't know. The entire time, while Maester Luwin was trying to elicit some response from me and while Theon was trying to get some answers out of the Maester, My Lady did not speak one word from her corner at the other end of the room.

Eventually, Maester Luwin came to a final conclusion: I was in shock.

My Lady eventually spoke up, her voice thick, "It's probably the lessons. She has so much to learn and it was all thrown upon her so suddenly. Perhaps she needs a slower transition into her new life." She then looked down at the floor, deep in thought.

"Perhaps the party isn't a good idea?" Suggested Maester Luwin, who was putting some lavender oil on my wrists and temples to help with my shock.

My Lady looked up and responded in a firm voice, "I understand that it doesn't seem like a good idea, but Katherine informed me that Ophelia agreed to it. Ophelia wouldn't do that unless she felt comfortable with the idea."

Oh...so that's what Katherine was asking me about. I wasn't even listening because I was too busy staring at...at...well, you know who.

"Theon?" Theon looked up to My Lady, and she pulled him aside.

"Fetch Katherine. I want her attending to Ophelia. Inform her that once she is out of her state of shock, to make sure she stays in bed." My Lady shot me a pitied glance and she looked right back at Theon. "Tell her that Ophelia is excused from lessons today."

Theon looked like he didn't want to leave, but he nodded anyway and left to go find Katherine.

My Lady strided over and knelt down beside my bed. She took my hand in mine and gave me a kiss on the side of my forehead. "Everything that is being done is for the best." She whispered. My Lady stroked my hair a bit before she concluded with, "I love you. Everything I do for you is in your self-interest." She squeezed my hand and gave me a kiss on my knuckles before she nodded to Measter Luwin and left the room.

I thought that My Lady probably felt guilty of having sprung lessons, Katherine, stays, and the party on me.

I felt bad about making her go through the trouble of worrying about me once more, but it wasn't her fault.

It wasn't the Gods fault.

It wasn't even... HIS fault.

It was my own.

I should have known that I would never be good enough for anyone.

Sansa made that clear at dinner the other night.

I was a servant, taken in by the charity of the Starks, family to a bunch of dead people who don't even matter anymore.

I was never good enough for him.

I understood that now.

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Once Theon arrived with Katherine, Maester Luwin shooed him off and gave Katherine instructions to care for my well being.

I eventually fell asleep, and I awoke to hear Katherine singing a song. My eyes opened and I turned my head to the side to see her in front of the fireplace, reading one of the books Robb had given me, with Ethaesper on her shoulder.

"I didn't know you could read." I muttered quietly.

Katherine jumped up from the seat, startled by my talking.

"Seven Hells! You creepy girl! Are you trying to scare me to death?!" She demanded as she bent down to pick up the book she was reading.

I ignored her comment. "Who taught you to read?" I asked her. Most servants did not know how to read, unless they worked with things like books or ledgers. I found it odd that someone like Katherine, who worked a manual labor sort of job, knew how to read. Katherine's scowl died down a notch, and she held the book closely to her chest. "My Father."

"Your father? Where did he learn?" Katherine only glared away from me, her head facing the fire. "It doesn't matter." She mumbled.

Katherine looked down at the book she was reading and ran her hands over the hard leather cover. "Did you know that your family has it's own song?"

I shook my head.

Katherine stared at the brown book fondly as she said, "Oh yes. Much like the Lannister's have the Reins of Castemere, your family has a song of their own: The Dragon and the Phoenix."

I slightly smiled, even if it was forced, and I slowly turned to my side, putting my hands under my head. "What is it about?"

Katherine sat back down on the chair and flipped open to the page she was reading. "It says that when Jaehaerys Targaryen's daughter, Princess Viserra Targaryen, was to wed Urijah Pyralis, he had a song written as a gift to show the love and appreciation of the two houses uniting into one. Though the song is written cryptically, it is the most popular that shows the love of the Phoenix and Dragon."

Katherine looked up at me, her face written in realization as she asked, "Isn't Urijah an ancestor of yours?"

She must have read a good portion of that book. I barely knew of my own ancestors, but I do recall Urijah being mentioned by My Lady at one point.

I shrugged one shoulder. "I suppose he is. I haven't really given it much thought."

"No...you don't understand." She let out an exasperated sound. "If what is written is to be taken true, then you're not a Pyralis."

I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. "What are you talking about? Of course I am. My Lady knew my mother, who was a Pyralis, and Lord Stark knew my father, who was a Pyralis. Honestly, Katherine..."

Katherine shook her head and she sat down on the edge of the side of my bed. "No you don't get it. If Targaryens' and Pyralis' married each other throughout the years, that means that you aren't just a Pyralis. You are both a Pyralis and a Targaryen."

My mouth opened and shut a couple times, trying to think of a rebuttal to what she had claimed. Closing my mouth, I tenderly sat up as Katherine helped me by putting her hand on my back and supported me as I became upright.

"Huh...I never thought of it that way. I guess I am...though distantly...probably. At this point though, I don't really care. I am predominantly a Pyralis by blood...or so everyone says. I haven't been able to fully grasp that fact myself...". I gave out a small laugh. "I did hear that my family liked to marry with one another. My parents were first cousins." Katherine popped her head in my line view and she made a disgusted face. "That's repulsive."

I grimaced. "I know."

Katherine walked in front of me and stated, "Don't get me wrong. I still don't like you, but...what the hell happened? You were fine this morning, then I hear that you're unresponsive."

I suddenly felt sorrow come back at me like a wave.

I looked down and mumbled, "Can you go get Theon? I want to talk to him."

Katherine's face fell at my reluctance to answer her but she obeyed and went to go fetch Theon. When the two of them came in, I said, "Thank you Katherine for helping, but I'd like to talk to my friend alone."

Katherine understood and left.

When the door shut, I mumbled, "She better bring Ethaesper back."

Theon didn't chuckle or laugh. He ran over to me and didn't let me respond as he gathered me into his arms. "Are you better? You scared the life out of me."

I clutched onto him and then I couldn't hold back anymore.

My tears started to flow down and I refused to let him go. "Ophelia..." Theon's voice trailed off as I whimpered. "He hurt me. I wasn't good enough...and he hurt me."

Theon pulled back from me and his stormy blue eyes bored into my dark crimson ones. His forehead was scrunched up. "Who hurt you?"

I looked away. I couldn't say his name.

"Ophelia." Theon's grip on me tightened as he became desperate for an answer. "Please...I want to help you."

My mind flashed to what I said to...him...before he revealed his true intentions to me.

"Jon." I whispered his name, something that once tasted as sweet as honey was now as bitter as cod liver oil, and my body had a physical reaction just uttering his name. I flinched when I said his name.

Theon looked at me in disbelief. "Are you sure? Snow and I aren't on the best of terms, but even I know he would never hurt you."

"Well he did."

"How?"

I thought about all that had happened between us and I broke down and cried into my hands. "He...he..." I couldn't finish because I was hiccuping too hard, prohibiting me from speaking.

Theon's eyes went wide and he started to get angrier by the minute."Ophelia...calm down. What did he do to you?"

I kept crying and Theon had enough. He grabbed me by my shoulders and shook me, my head flopping back and forth like a ragdoll. "Answer me, damn you! Did he lay with you?" He stopped asking me so I could answer. I took several deep breaths in attempt to calm myself down.

I shook my head and let my hiccups subside before I could speak. "He did not lay with me."

Theon's tense shoulders relaxed a bit, but he still wanted an answer. "What did he do to you?"

I wiped my eyes and then told him. It felt good to get everything off my chest. I told him about the kiss in the kitchens, our time in the stables, what happened at the Weirwood tree, our outing near the White Knife, and this morning in the tiltyard. When I got to the part of the promise, Theon took my hand in his and slowly unwrapped the bandage. His stormy blue eyes scanned the cut and he looked me in the eyes. Theon removed the small dagger from his belt and re-opened the cut on my palm by drawing the blade across it. I hissed and tried to jerk my hand from his grip, but the Iron Islander would not let go.

Theon cut his palm and just like yesterday by the white rushing waters of the White Knife, he meshed our cuts and blood together.

"What are you doing..." I started to ask but I saw Theon's determined look. "I'm removing every bad memory of him from you. Now when this will scar, and you won't have to think of him when you see it."

He removed his hand and rewrapped my newly cut palm. Theon made a 'go on' motion with his uncut hand, and I resumed with my story.

During me telling him the rest of what happened, Theon became uncharacteristically calm. Once I concluded with the events that transpired this morning, Theon stood up and kissed my forehead.

I suddenly became fearful of what he was going to do. "Theon! Please, don't tell anyone or say anything. Leave it alone. For me...please." Theon gave me a soft crooked smile and tilted his head to the side. "I promise I won't do anything that is abnormal."

I felt relieved and nodded. Theon kissed the top of my head and said, "I'll come by later with your supper. Maybe Katherine should have the day off for attending your lazy butt, eh?" He nudged me and left the room.

Later that day, Robb stopped by with my supper.

I was already in my nightgown and robe, sitting by the fire reading the Songs and Lores of the Dragon and the Phoenix. I had my legs criss crossed, covered by my nightgown and robe. Katherine came back as soon as Theon left and she cared for me until I assured her that I was fine and she could be excused for the rest of the evening. She did so, though with much hesitation, and left me alone with Ethaesper.

I heard the door knock, and I yelled, "Come in."

Robb entered with a tray of food, enough for two, and he gave me a wary smile. "Hi there."

I closed the book and set down by the chair. I got up and went to the doorway, looked down the hallway, only to see it empty.

I turned around and crossed my arms. "Where's Theon?"

Robb looked like he didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. "He's shovelling pig shit."

I raised an eyebrow at his language and Robb turned a pale pink. He cleared his throat. "Sorry about that. Theon got himself into some trouble earlier today, so now he, as well as Jon, have to clean out the pig pens."

"What happened?"

Robb shrugged and walked over to the small round table. He set cutlery, plates, and food out. "I am not exactly sure. I was in the tiltyard, talking with Ser Rodrick, when we heard a bunch of shouting. Next thing I know, the two of them are breaking through the wall of the stables going at each other. I tried to get them to stop, but well...", Robb turned his head to the side and showed me a purple bump on his temple, "I got caught by the lid of a barrel. Ser Rodrick stopped me and insisted that they let their aggressions out. Eventually, Father had to come down from his Solar, even though he was busy with this month's budget, and had to pull them off of each other. Now they're both in a heap of trouble."

I wanted to yell out of frustration, but I restrained myself.

I told Theon not to do anything, and he picked a fight with... Ugh! I sat down and covered my face with my hands. My voice, muffled by my palms, asked, "Who came out worse?"

"Originally, Jon did. But he ended up gaining the upper hand near the end of it."

I looked up. "And now they have to shovel pig waste? For how long?"

Robb shook his head and sat down across from me. "Until the pens are clean. Then they have to go to bed without supper. Tomorrow, they'll be fixing the hole they made in the stables' wall and after that, they'll be fixing the rafters at one of the barns near the outskirts of Wintertown."

"Sounds like a lot of work."

Robb cocked his head to the side, while looking down at the food, and shrugged. "Well they deserve it."

I saw that he set a place for himself as well, and was already digging into his food. "I suppose you are dining with me then?"

Robb nodded as he took a bite of his turkey pie.

Picking up on my irritation, Robb assured me to take it easy. "It's fine, 'Felia. This isn't the first time they've gotten into a scuffle with each other. However, this time it was more violent, I have to admit."

I was annoyed.

Despite Robb's assurance, I didn't want Theon doing this, or else people would ask questions as to why he had a problem with...a certain broody male.

I heard Robb's fork clank along his plate and I saw that he had already finished his pie. He quickly started to chow down on his roasted carrots and potatoes. "Why are you in such a rush?" I asked him as I took a small bite of a roasted carrot.

Robb looked up from his plate and wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin. "I have to help Mother. She's making invitations for your nameday party, and since there is a lot of people she intends to invite, she has enlisted my help as well as Sansa's and Bran's. Which reminds me...", He pulled out several swatches of fine looking paper, "I need you to pick one."

I gave him a confused look. "Why do I need to pick one?"

Robb gave me a disbelieving look. "Because it is for your party. Mother has these ones already in store, for this specific reason, and doesn't need to commission for any new paper."

"Oh..." I took the swatches from him and examined each of them.

I looked back up to the Stark boy and squinted my eyes as I flipped each swatch to it's backside, looking over each detail on all of them. "Umm...remind me...why is this so important?"

Robb answered, with his mouth full of food, "It sets the tone of the party."

"The...the _tone?_ What does that even mean?!"

Rinn swallowed and wiped his mouth clean. "It means that just by glancing at an invitation, people will know whether it's a formal occasion or not. And then from there, they can sumise the extent of formality the party will be."

"Isn't every party formal?"

"No."

I sighed and put my plate to the side of me. I placed all the swatches in a row and squinted my eyes at each. One was a deep purple, the other a light blue. One was a rich red, while another was a plain white. The one that caught my attention was a white marbled swatch, with forest green detailing on the borders of it. I lifted it up and handed it to Robb. "This one seems nice. How formal would you say this would be, by the indication of it?"

Robb took the swatch from my fingers and held it up. He raised his eyebrow and flipped the swatch over, looking over each inch of it. "Very formal. Not the level of a royal wedding, but enough to say that it's nice enough to be dressed for a ball."

I looked down at the others in disdain and I slumped down in my chair. "It's the only one that appeals to me...but I don't really want a ball."

Robb gave me a smile. Reaching over to pocket the rest of the swatches, he held the one I picked out in his hand. "Don't worry about that. I'm sure you'll be the moon of the ball."

Despite the horrible day I had, I couldn't help but snort. I covered my mouth. "The moon of the ball? What kind of saying is that?"

Robb chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "I prefer the moon over the stars. It's bigger and tends to stand out...stars only get lost among the beauty of others. Stars look like one another, there's nothing unique about them...but there is only one moon in the sky."

I suddenly felt uncomfortable at his comment, and that familiar sting in my eyes that I was entirely acquainted with, returned full force.

Why couldn't I be good enough for him?

No, I don't mean Robb

I meant...well, you know. Why couldn't I be like the moon for him?

Was I the same as all the rest of the other stars?

I knew that I never stood out, that I always preferred to be in the shadows or among others in the crowd. But I guess my tendency to lean towards being normal didn't work in my favor this time. I was too normal for...

I shut my eyes tightly to prevent any tears from dripping down.

I opened them and gave Robb a watery smile.

"That's a beautiful notion. Now if you don't mind", I stood up and ushered Robb out of my room, "I would like to get some sleep."

"Wait!" I paused my actions and stared at Robb, who had a repentant look on his face.

"Yes?" I asked, slightly impatient.

Robb swallowed as he looked around. His eyes shone with regret as whispered. "Ophelia...I am sorry...I am so sorry."

"For what?"

Robb took a deep breath before he went on with his out-of-nowhere apology. "I realized that I jumped into a friendship with you, disregarding the past. That was unfair of me. I wanted to apologize for a previous deed committed by me long ago, as a foolish child. This apology is long overdue, but please hear me out nonetheless..I'm sorry...for nearly causing you to drown at the docks in White Harbor, for causing you to lose Nova, for the lost years of friendship between us...will you forgive me?"

It was was silent.

I wasn't expecting him to apologize for something even I had forgotten. I whispered, "For the longest time...this was all I wanted to hear. But now I realize that I have forgiven you years ago...I only thought that you didn't want to be my friend anymore because I had held a grudge against your person for a while..."

I gave him a small forced smile. Robb didn't say anything as I shut the door.

I no longer felt hungry, so I didn't eat the rest of the food.

I just went to bed.

It's funny how when you're sad, all you want to do is sleep. I was foolish in thinking that the next morning I would be alright...because I wasn't.

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All throughout Winterfell, people heard of the 'emotional affliction' that had occurred within me. Some snickered, others gave me looks of sympathy.

Septa Mordane eased up on her iron rule, and made lessons softer and easier.

Everyone thought what happened was a result of too many things happening all at once.

Only Theon knew the real reason why I really did crumble down in despair.

Other than his confrontation with the black curly haired boy, he did not tell anyone why I went into shock. I'm glad he kept it to himself, something else that was very much out of character. He's a good friend.

The following days blurred with one another. I did my best to keep myself busy and avoid any spot where I might have run into _him,_ which was hard because there's only so many places in Winterfell you can go without seeing someone you wished to avoid.

I took refuge in my room, the Godswood, or in My Lady's room. I occupied my mind with lessons, studying all sorts of subjects well into the night. Every two days, Robb and I would spend three hours together. He taught me most dances, though I had trouble with many of them. When I wasn't busy with lessons or Robb's tutoring, I threw myself in planning a party I did not want. Though it was a good distraction, I found myself dreading the Ball would be held for my belated nameday.

My actual nameday came and went, quietly uncelebrated. The reason for this being that I would be able to celebrate it at the party, so there was no need to celebrate it twice.

Everyone, and I do mean everyone, seemed excited for the upcoming celebration.

The servants twittered and chatted about how long it's been since Winterfell has had a celebration of this magnitude.

Lord Stark cracked a small smile when he heard an old friend was planning on attending with his young son. My Lady would sometimes get emotional about how this was my first huge party, and how she wished my mother could be here with us, though overall she overflowed with excitement on my behalf.

Even the children were excited. All Sansa could talk about was what she thought she was going to wear to the Ball and who of high social standing was coming. Arya and Bran were excited to see some of the people who fought in both the Greyjoy Rebellion and Robert's Rebellion, and hear their war stories. Rickon was excited to eat all the tasty food that would be served.

To some degree, this giddiness had affected both Robb and Theon. Whenever they were together, the conversation eventually drifted to which Ladies from what Houses were attending.

I only wished I could be as happy as they all seemed to be.

I desperately wanted to be as content as they all were.

But it seemed just like the day that the incident happened, it was harder and harder to get out of bed each morning. All I wanted to do was sleep in the darkness and never get up again. If it wasn't for Katherine yanking the covers off of me every morning, I'm sure I would've done just that. I was constantly wearing a mask, trying to assure people that I was alright, when in actuality I wasn't.

I once heard that whenever you are in pain, the best thing to do is to take it day by day.

That wasn't true for me.

All I could do was moment to moment.

Anything else ended up becoming too overwhelming.

For the past fortnight, I had not seen the black curly headed boy all that much. I was positive that he was avoiding me just as I was avoiding him. Whenever I did manage to catch a glimpse of him, I ran the opposite direction, would find an aclove of darkness, and bawl like an emotionally disturbed child.

Then I would proceed with my mask of all sunny smiles.

I wanted to forgive him.

But I was so angry and hurt by what he did...I just couldn't.

I couldn't even forgive myself.

I should have known it would only end in disaster...and we weren't together that long.

It should've been easier to get over him and whatever we were...but when we were together, it felt like anything was possible. I felt like stardust and butterflies all wrapped into one. He was my friend since we were children, and now we couldn't even be in the same room together.

I missed his grouchy moods and ever-present brooding nature.

I missed the way his dark eyebrows always looked constantly worried, with his Stark grey eyes analyzing everyone and everything.

I missed his strong arms and tight hugs.

I missed his rare smiles, deep chuckles, and his gentle touch.

I missed the way he would look at me...like I actually mattered.

I just missed him.

And this made my dark days darker.

However, there were some good moments.

To my common knowledge, prositiutes weren't literate.

Ros was the exception.

At first, I sent a letter asking how the bath went. She sent one back, praising it for making her skin "as smooth as a newborn babe's bum". She said it made her skin rosier and that her clients liked the new glow and delicate feel of it. Then the letters started to talk about other things. For example, one letter told me of her worst fear (which was dying) and I told her mine (which was deep bodies of water). We spoke of our favorite colors, her's being orange and mine being yellow, though I have a tendency to change my favorite color every now and then. I looked forward to her letters. They brought me some semblance of peace. I would often fall asleep right after reading one, due to how calming it was.

Theon, being a consistent client of her's and a good friend of mine, decided to take me into Wintertown one day. He had finished with his punishment and wanted to celebrate...by going to the brothel. I was put off when he told me this, but he said that he wanted me to come along. He said that while he was 'getting acquainted with a new employee of theirs' I could spend my time with Ros.

I perked up and that night, we snuck off into town.

Theon Greyjoy, is vastly misunderstood.

When he first arrived, I quickly learned that either you loved him or hated him. There was no in between. I have this silly belief, that even in the most horrid people, there can be some good inside. I've always tried to see someone in a positive light, give them the benefit of the doubt.

I guess that's how come it is easy for me to get along with someone as crass as Theon. I don't overlook his flaws...how can one overlook something that is so glaringly obvious? But if it were me, I wouldn't want anyone focusing on my flaws. So I show him, as well as others, that exact same courtesy.

I like charisma of our friendship. We're two people on the opposite sides of a spectrum, yet we blend together extremely well.

I cherish him, just as I know that he values me.

We talked a lot during this late night excursion. He was concerned about how I was holding up.

"Is it better today?"

"Is what better today?"

"Your sadness."

Was it better today? I kept on, wearing my false smile while picking out the centerpieces for the tables. I ended up choosing some nice green ones that would have candles in the middle. My Lady saw that I was a bit more glum than usual, and her advice to me was, "To embroider something. It soothes the mind." I inwardly scoffed at her advice. If only it were that easy. "I suppose."

I could see Theon's knuckles turn white as he gripped the leathers reins. "By the Drowned God...I want to kill him for what he did to you."

"Please don't." I whispered. If something happened to that black curly haired boy I would be distraught, despite what he's done to me.

"Why shouldn't I?! You haven't been yourself...it's like the sun had died and been replaced with a fuckin' rock! You're hardly to blame, this is his fault." Theon ground out, his teeth clench, and his words laced with venom.

"Can we not talk about this please?"

"No! I want-"

"Please Theon...I have no wish to discuss it any longer...it hurts too much."

Theon halted the horse and turned his head to the side, looking back at me. "I just...I just want you to be happier. You can fool everyone but me."

I swallowed thickly and tightened my hold on his waist. Laying my head to his back and staring out at the tops of the green trees that started to blur as the horse began to gallop again, I said. "I know. This is cheering me up though...going to see Ros. You didn't have to bring me along, but you did...thank you."

Theon didn't say anything more until we arrived in town. He slowed the horse down, until we came to an establishment that was lit up brightly by a mass amount of candles in the inside. A giant contrast to the rest of the town (asides from the dimly lit pub) that was completely dark. Theon jumped off of the horse and offered me his hand. He helped me down and started to fret over me, dusting me off and fixing my hood to cover my face.

"Stop! I'm fine!" I whined as he made sure the hood was concealing most of my face.

Theon stepped back and gave out a whistle of satisfaction. "Good. I don't want anyone knowing that you're here. If word got out that you went to a brothel and that I took you..." Theon massaged his neck and gave me an uncomfortable look.

I rolled my eyes. "So you're really only worried about yourself then?"

Theon chuckled and turned to the saddle, getting out a new large bottle of the pink milk bath that I made for Ros. He handed it to me and I tucked it under my arms, hiding it completely under my cloak.

"Of course. Who else would you be able to mope about with, if I'm not here? Plus, if someone knew that you, a noblewoman, went to a brothel, your reputation would be ruined.

'What reputation?' I thought wryly. Still, there was some truth to his words.

"You do have a point."

Theon gave me a lecherous grin and threw up a bag of coins, catching it in midair. The Iron Islander winked at me. "Don't I always?"

I blushed furiously as I trailed behind him. Theon threw open the double doors and and announced in a grand voice, "Who's ready to have some iron pumped into them?!" A bunch of half dressed women who were not busy with a client, squealed and ran towards Theon, each pulling him towards their own direction. This wasn't because Theon was exceedingly charming or a great lover (which Ros informed me of in one of her letters, though I'm not sure why), but it was because when he paid, he paid well.

This time he was paying with my less-than-outgoing nature and sense of modesty.

I wanted to die.

What was I thinking going there?! It was embarrassing! Was I supposed to wait for Ros? It wouldn't be that bad...right?

As Theon swung his arms around two girls and started to kiss them on their cheeks, I tried to think of a good reason to leave.

Then a completely naked woman strutted in front of me to go join in on the feeding frenzy. I just about fainted. Theon smirked at the naked woman and took her by the hand upstairs to one of the rooms, leaving me alone with a bunch of disappointed whores.

My cheeks burned a bright red at the scene I had just witnessed. My hands clutched the bottle very tightly, I had no care if I had an excuse or not. I needed to leave or else I would have a heart attack at the sight of another one of these frenzies.

I quickly turned around, and in doing so, I bumped into one of the prositiutes and fell back on the floor. Luckily, my hood managed to stay on. Unluckily, the bottle fell from my grasp and rolled away, landing under the sole of a worn shoe.

I flipped onto my stomach and pushed my upper body up to see those shoes walking towards me. An older lady with frizzy red hair, who looked to be forty-five at the latest, held the bottle in her hands. She had a stoic gaze and all of the chattering in the room seized. The woman stopped in front of me, and motioned with her index finger for me to follow her.

By her facial expression, I knew that it was not a suggestion.

I pushed myself to my feet, and looked back to see that Theon had already left.

I followed the woman to a back room.

I was nervous upon entering, but when I did, I was surprised to see that it was not a bedroom. It was modest little Study, with a tiny window, a wooden desk, and a hearth.

I stared at the woman who took a seat behind the desk and stared at me. Standing upright, was the bottle of milk bath.

"Shut the door and sit."

I immediately did as I was told. After sitting, the woman gave me a smirk. "So ya are the fairy that I was told about." Her dialect was choppy and sounded foreign. I decided not to comment on it.

I gave the woman an incredulous look. "I-I-ummm...excuse me?"

The woman grabbed the bottle and held it up. "Ros came one day with one of these bottles of bath. She said it made her skin as soft as a babe. Sure enough, she told the truth. When I asked where she bought it, she merely replied, "A fairy gave it to me."

I paled and reached for the bottle. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to get her in trouble or anything it was a gift for her..." The woman held it above her head and clicked her tounge. "Now, now. There's no need for haste. I never said Ros was in trouble."

My attempted grasps for the bottle faltered and I gave the woman a wide eyed look. "Who are you?"

The woman set the bottle back down and laughed. "I thought that would be obvious. I am the owner of this establishment"

I gasped in shock. "But you...you...you're a woman!"

The woman waved off the comment. "Aye, I am. And a twat between my legs doesn't mean that I'm useless. But we aren't discussing me, I want to discuss ya."

"Me?"

"I want to do business with ya."

I clutched my cloak tightly to me and I leaned away from the woman. "I am no whore."

The woman laughed loudly and wiped her eyes. "I am aware. No, I don't want ya to work for me, I want ya to work with me."

I was confused. What did this woman want? "How so?" I asked the woman suspiciously, not relinquishing my grip on my cloak.

"I would like ya to make my girls these baths, though in smaller quantities. I hear Winterfell is hosting a grand gathering soon, and business will prosper during that time. Men like soft skin, women like having soft skin, and I like having my pockets full. So, do ya agree?"

My jaw slackened. "But...that bath was a special gift I made for Rose...if I gave it to others, it wouldn't be as special."

"I suppose not. But ya would make a nice amount of coin, and I would be happy to buy any other products ya that could...enhance my girls' beauty."

I was stunned.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

All I wanted was to visit Ros, have some girl talk, then go home.

I didn't even think the bath was that good! I whipped it together in a haste...

However...the thought of being able to work again (even if it was just making baths and soaps) was very appealing. And I would be getting paid too.

Everyone wanted me to do one thing or another that appealed to other people.

Don't eat too much.

Don't skip down the halls.

Don't go around barefoot.

Don't laugh too loudly.

Don't talk to Ethaesper in public.

I had to look a certain way.

I had to talk a certain way.

I had to be someone other than myself.

Well...now I was going to do something for me.

"I will do it...but I have some conditions that need to be met"

"Go on."

"I can't make the Rose bath for everyone. The ingrediants are too expensive to make in mass quantity...however, I do know other bath recipes. I propose that I make you a sampler of the different variety of baths, and I'll have you choose which one works best for your girls. I also know how to make soap...well, only frankincense and lavender soap. Ros will continue to get hers for free though..."

"And the pricing?"

"We can discuss that when I bring over the sampler. I'll come back within three days. Does that sound agreeable?"

"Very well. Three days."

I shook that womans hand and continued to sit. She gave me a confused look. "You may go."

I gave the woman a sheepish smile. "Can I please wait in here? I don't really want to-", A loud moan from the next room over interuppted my sentence-,"wait out there."

The woman laughed. "If ya are going to do business with us, ya need to get used to these sort of sounds."

I fiddled with my thumbs. "I don't think that I ever will." Quickly changing the subject I held out my hand. "I don't know your name."

The woman shook it. "I am Nadyea. And ya are?"

My mind went back to what Theon said earlier and I thought up a name very quickly. "My name is Sera."

 **Thanks to all who reviewed! It was such an honor seeing those who favorites and followed this story. Please tell me your thoughts on this chapter. Next chapter: Ros and Ophelia spend some time together, dealings with the brothel, and chaos before the party. If we could get this story up to 75 reviews, it would make my day! Please read, review, and rest easy! :) P.S. I want to hear your thoughts on the whole Jon debacle Ophelia is going through right now. What do you think is going to happen?**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you to all who reviewed! It made me so happy to see all of you who reviewed, favorites, and followed this story! Thank you for being so kind and giving this story a chance! Also, Sophie Turner is engaged as well! How cool is that?! :D I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Sorry for waiting so long to update. School's been hectic.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own anything but Ophelia and any other OC I make up. :)**

3rd P.O.V. Winterfell

 _There was once a time where the dark scared Jon Snow._

 _It was when he was little._

 _Jon was at a constant unease by the shadows that danced and played at night. He hated how they lurked when the day ended and how ominous it made everything become. Jon never told anyone the extent of his fear, for he kept it hidden close to his chest._

 _Yet, like most childhood fears, he had overcome it. The nights and shadows that it brings no longer bothers him._

 _How can one fear the darkness, when the light is a constant presence?_

 _Jon Snow found his sun in Ophelia Pyralis._

 ** _"Jon! Jon!" An eight year old Jon Snow looked up from his book to see a yellow blur running towards him. It launched itself on his lap, knocking the book from his hands._**

 ** _Ophelia smiled as she clutched Nova tightly. "Will you play with me? Robb got in trouble."_**

 ** _Jon blushed and looked away. "I-I-I don't want to. I was reading."_**

 ** _Ophelia's bright smile died down a notch and Jon's stomach dropped instantly, feeling guilty. Suddenly, it lit back up._**

 ** _"Why don't we read together?"_**

 ** _Jon's face went red and he nodded. "That sounds wonderful."_**

 ** _Ophelia giggled and ran to one of the shelves in the library, grabbing a book thrice the size of her weight. "I just love reading! Don't you?" She asked as she wobbled ba_** ** _ck a couple steps, with both the book and Nova in her hand._**

 ** _Jon nodded. Ophelia stumbled back into the shelf, hit her head, and fell down. "Owie." She rubbed her red-brown hair and gave a big goofy smile. "At least I'm not dead!"_**

 ** _Jon laughed and got up from his chair to help his friend up._**

 _But what transpired between the both of them caused the sun in to flee away._

 _Now, Jon Snow's life was nothing but the cold and darkness._

 _He could feel himself sinking deeper and deeper into this grevious abyss. Jon put less effort into his lessons. He couldn't care less which sigil belonged to what house. It was all utter nonsense to him_

 _Jon did get all of his pent up energies into a sword though, even though he was tired. Every night he could not sleep, because of the stress and picture of her fleeing from Jon woke him up, not letting him rest afterwords._

 _Within one week alone, he decimated five dummies._

 ** _"Jon, guess what?!" A twelve year old Ophelia ran towards Jon, clad in a yellow working dress and a dirty apron._**

 ** _Jon, who was busy doing schoolwork, didn't look up as he asked, "What?"_**

 ** _Ophelia poked his shoulder until he saw her excited smile. His throat constricted and his palms began to get sweaty. Ophelia dug into her apron pocket and produced several black truffles. "I found these today! I asked Maester Luwin if they were edible and he said they were! I get to pick them in the morning now. "_**

 ** _Jon swallowed and gave her a small smile. "That's great 'Felia."_**

 ** _Ophelia widened her eyes in wonder as she stared at the mushrooms lovingly. "I can't believe I found these." She looked back to Jon and placed the truffles in front of him. "Here, I wanted you to have the first ones. Theon doesn't like mushrooms much, but I know you do!"_**

 ** _Jon's mouth went dry as he opened and closed it several times before nodding his head. "Thank you, Ophelia. I will enjoy them."_**

 ** _A beat passed and Ophelia still stood there, smiling as always._**

 ** _"Do you need something?" Asked Jon. He instantly regretted it as Ophelia's smile died down. "Oh...I, uh...just, tell me how they are, 'kay?" She gave him one last smile and left the room._**

 ** _Jon cursed as he recalled his earlier words. How someone could be so uncouth, he didn't know._**

 _All he could think about when he repeatedly struck the dummy was look on Ophelia's face. How it looked as if she'd been stabbed by him. He could still vividly see her dark crimson eyes water with images of tears and how she carried herself as if she were in physical pain._

 _To make matters worse was when Theon Greyjoy, out of all people, came at him several hours later while he was putting fresh hay in the stables. Theon knew of everything. Ophelia had told him._

 _Jon could only roll his eyes at that._

 _Of course she would tell him. Besides him, Theon was one of the few friends that Ophelia had. Theon though, was angry on her behalf._

 _The Kraken scorned him about what he did and even when Jon told him that he didn't understand any of it and to leave well enough alone, Theon wouldn't have it. He took the first swing._

 _All of Jon's pent up frustrations from that morning and the night before rushed out like a flood._

 _"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT?! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ANYTHING?!" He had yelled. With every word he gave Theon a punch._

 ** _"Jon!" Jon looked back to see Ophelia running towards him. She was wearing a bright red coat over her usual yellow frock, carrying a basket. He turned away from her and looked down at his plate, watching the Kitchen Staff rushing back and forth._**

 ** _He was sitting in a corner, eating breakfast._**

 ** _Ophelia knelt before him and put a hand in his knee, beaming up at him. "My Lady was out of line this morning, and was quite rude. I don't want your day to be ruined, so I was wondering...would you like to come to Wintertown with me and Theon?"_**

 ** _Jon focused on his plate. "I don't know...I don't want to be a burden."_**

 ** _Ophelia snapped her fingers in front of his face to get his attention and she gave him a softer smile. "You've never been a burden to me. Besides, it'll get you out of the castle for a while. What do you say?"_**

 ** _Jon thought it over for a moment, then he nodded. "Alright."_**

 ** _Ophelia stood up and put a loose strand of her mahogany hair behind her ear. "Great! I'll see you outside in ten." She didn't walk, but skipped out of the Kitchens._**

 ** _Jon's heart skipped with her._**

 _Theon however was angrier._

 _"SHE IS NOTHING BUT GOOD TO EITHER OF US AND YOU FUCKED HER OVER!" Theon grabbed Jon by his shirt and threw him hard against the wall next to to entrance of the stables. It winded Jon, and when he finally took a breath, Theon launched himself at Jon, causing the both of them to go through the wall and tumble into the tiltyard._

 _They didn't care though._

 _Both got up and went at each other as if they were on opposing forces of a battle. Robb and Ser Rodrick were standing by, witnessing the entire debacle, and weren't doing a thing to stop it._

 _That was until Theon took one of the broken wooden planks from the barn and took a swing at Jon. Robb, in all of his good intentions and level-headedness, stepped in between them to put an end to things._

 _"Alright, boys. You had your fun, why don't we put those away and-" Robb ducked as Theon ignored him and took a swing at Jon._

 _Jon, jumped back, and eyed the object behind him. He needed something to use. He spotted an empty barrel. He reached over and picked up the barrel sideways, causing the lid to slide off. He lifted it over his head and threw it at Theon, who was dodged it by laying low to the ground. The barrel hit the ground and tumbled off._

 _Robb stood up and glared at his brother and best friend. "Oi! That's enough. Why don't we just talk-" Robb didn't finish his sentence because he was out cold from the wooden lid of the barrel Jon had thrown at Theon._

 _Dismissing his feeling of guilt, Jon side stepped his brother and knocked his head into Theon's stomach._

 _Their fight went on for a couple more hours, until Lord Stark came into view. Robb by then had already awoken, and Ser Rodrick, seeing that they weren't going to let up anytime soon (even though he was impressed by both of the young mens' stamina. Ahh...to be young) sent one of the stableboys to fetch Lord Stark. A crowd of spectators had surrounded the tiltyard, with some people taking bets in who would give the final blow._

 _When Ned arrived, he eyed the two bloodied up fools and walked over to See Rodrick._

 _"How long has this been going on?"_

 _"For several hours, My Lord."_

 _Ned shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "And why was I not informed of this earlier?"_

 _Ser Rodrick turned a pale pink under his white braided beard. "We thought it would fizzle out, My Lord. But as you can see", Both men eyed the two teenagers as they simultaneously hit each other in the face, "neither one was willing to let up. I thought that if they let out their aggressions, it would be alright. But now...I'm not sure if that was the right course of descion."_

 _"Indeed it was not." Ser Rodrick bowed his head and stepped back as Ned calmly walked over to the both of them and cleared his throat. The boys took no notice and Ned could only roll his eyes. He walked over to Jon and yanked him off of Theon. "That is enough." Ned growled out._

 _Both boys stepped back from one another and glared away._

 _"Theon, go to your chambers. Jon, my Solar...Now."_

 _Jon shoved Theon aside as he stalked off to Ned's Solar._

 _-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-_

 _Ned entered the room to see a seething boy. Jon had irritation all across his facial features and was slumped down in the the chair. When Ned came into to the room and closed the door behind him, Jon didn't even look his way._

 _"It wasn't my fault." Jon muttered. "Theon charged at me first."_

 _"Aye, I do not doubt that."_

 _"So why am I here?!" Jon snapped., turning his face to the Lord of Winterfell._

 _"Because you should have ended it by walking away. Instead you prolonged it by engaging with him. You need to pick your battles, Jon." With every word spoken, Ned took a step until he was standing in front of the curly-headed boy._

 _Jon scoffed and looked away._

 _Ned raised an eyebrow. "You think that advice is nonsense?"_

 _"I think it's pig shit."_

 _Ned rolled his eyes and his mind went to Lyanna. Jon was most definitely taking after his mother in this moment._

 _"Well since you seem to be so fond of pig shit, you can shovel the pens and clean them out."_

 _"With Theon?" Jon growled out, clenching the arms of the chair so tightly his knuckles turned white._

 _"With Theon." Ned confirmed._

 _That was it. Jon stood up and started to yell. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! I WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN INTO A FIGHT WITH THEON IF YOU HADN'T OF MADE ME END MY RELATIONSHIP WITH OPHELIA. SHE DESERVES BETTER THAN A BROKEN HEART! BUT YOU DON'T CARE, DO YOU?! YOU'VE NEVER LOVED ANYBODY BESIDES YOUR WIFE."_

 _Jon's fists were clenched and his body was tense. His grey eyes were wild and his chest puffed up and down in deep breaths._

 _Ned patiently observed Jon and after a minute, asked, "Are you done?"_

 _Jon didn't answer but Ned did. "You're wrong."_

 _"What about?" Jon snapped._

 _"Being in love..."_

 _Jon widened his eyes a bit but did not let up his stance. "What are you talking about?"_

 _Ned sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He would need a good drink after this. He walked around to sit in his chair. "I was a bit older than you. Maybe by a year or two. I was at a tourney, with my siblings...all of them. That night, I caught a glimpse of something so enchanting, it took my breath away..." Ned's eyes turned wistful as the reels of the past began to play in his mind._

 _Jon slowly unclenched his fists and steadily sat down. Was he about to hear of his mother? "Who was she?"_

 _Ned took a long shuddered breath and he stared up at his son. "What I am about to tell you, you will never repeat again. Understand?"_

 _Jon nodded and Ned continued. "Her name was Ashara...Ashara Dayne. And I loved her." Ned spoke as simply as he could._

 _"I remember seeing her for the first time. She was a friend of Elia Martell, and was present at this tourney, and the celebration afterwards. She was the first woman to take my breath away. The room, which was so cold and unfeeling, turned lively once she walked in. She was the most magnificent creature I had ever seen." Ned's concentrated face turned to a small smile as he remembered how Ashara gracefully entered the hall, adorned in her purple dress, and how it seemed everything began to brighten._

 _"I was too isolated into myself to ask her for a dance. My older brother saw this, and he danced with her, then asked her to dance with me. When she came up to me, I was acting like a stupid foolish boy. I could not even think straight. But she, in all her radiance, calmed me down and we danced. We talked and talked and then we...we..." Ned turned a tinge pink and coughed into his hand and looked away._

 _Jon could feel his eyes pop out of his skull. His father had relations with some other woman._

 _"When the tourney ended, everyone went their own way and I took it upon myself to send letters to her. She responded every time, and we soon made unofficial plans to wed." Ned's smile slowly started to die down as the demons from the past entered into his thoughts. "Several of months passed, and my sister was missing, my father and brother were dead, and I, being next in line, became Lord of Winterfell. It was my duty to fulfill any promise my father had made to Hosue Tully. A marriage was needed, so I stepped in my brother's place and married Catelyn. When the war was over, I went to Starfall to return Ser Arthur Dayne's sword to his family...there I found out that Ashara was brokenhearted. Her brother, whom she loved very dearly, was killed by me, the only man she professed to have loved." Ned stood up and walked in front of the hearth, his back turned to Jon, who stood as well. "She had a baby...our baby...a little girl. She was born dead. In the end, Ashara jumped out of a tower and died in the sea. Her grief was too much to bare."_

 _Jon felt his mouth go dry and he took a cautious step forward. "Was..was she my mother?"_

 _Ned turned around sharply and said, "We are not here to discuss you mother. I know what you are going through...but you need to remind yourself that duty comes before pleasure. Your path of duty will be different from that of Ophelia's. Do what is right, and in the end it will pay off."_

 _Jon nodded, feeling a kindred spirit in his father as the two bonded over their lost loves and the duty that caused those women to be unattainable._

 _"I understand and I will not speak a word of anything you have said to me."_

 _Jon ignored the girl that he loved...it was the right thing to do. The sun would find him eventually, but it would not be in the form of Ophelia Pyralis._

 _-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-_

1st P.O.V. Wintertown-Winterfell

"Ophelia, dearest friend!" I stood up from the table I was sitting at and embraced my red-haired friend who hugged me tightly with open arms.

After a while of hearing noises come from the other room, I politely excused myself from Nadyea's presence and kindly asked of her to inform Ros that I would be at the tavern.

I was waiting for about an hour when Ros made herself available.

As I hugged her, I noticed that she smelled musky, somewhat familiar, as well as rosy, from the bath.

I leaned back and observed her with a small smile. "Hello! I see you weren't flattering me...that bath really does work."

Rod nodded and we sat down at the table together. "Aye it does. My clients seem to like it."

I blushed and looked down into my cup.

Rod cleared her throat and said, "Madame, after giving me a new bottle of Rose Bath, told me that my friend _Sera_ was waiting for me...and I was wondering...do I know a Sera? But then she informed me how you squeeked like a mouse upon hearing some noises from the other room and I knew it had to be you!"

I let out an uncomfortable laugh. "I guess I'm not that much of an expert when it comes to disguises."

I looked up to see Ros with a slight look of hurt on her face. "Are...are you ashamed to be seen with me? Is that why you needed a new name?"

My eyes widened and I shook my head fiercely. "Of course not! I don't care if someone sees me with you, you're my friend! But Theon wanted me to keep to the shadows, away from anyone's attentions."

Ros rolled her eyes and signaled the barmaid for an ale, who quickly came and placed the mug in front of ger. "Of course it was Theon. I should have know. You know, " A smirk placed itself on her lips as she hid her mouth in cup, "it seems that he cares for you quite a bit."

I shrugged and I sipped my mug of water. "I know he does. He's one of the few friends I have...he cares a lot because he cherishes our friendship."

Ros drank a bit of her ale and set down the cup. "No, silly girl. I'm not talking about friendship." She leaned forward and said, "In my line of work, I need to know how a man works, better than I know myself. I have to pick up what he likes, what he doesn't...you know, that sort of thing."

I nodded, taking a sip from my drink and she continued. "From what I pick up with Theon is that he cares about you...in a romantic manner."

I choked on my water and spat it out to the side. "What?!" From the corner of my eye I could see the barmaid glaring at me for making a mess that she would have to clean up, and I shrunk down under her glare.

"That's preposterous! Theon is just a friend. I mean you must have males that are just friends, right?!" I saw Ros giving me an amused look and I became flustered. "Besides, he still sees me as a little girl and I know he does, or else he wouldn't be as protective of me."

Ros snorted into her cup and laughed. She placed a hand over her heart and grinned. "That is a shit answer."

I shook my head, vehemonously denying her claims. "No it's not. If he really did care for me that way, he wouldn't be laying with some other woman right now."

Ros rolled her eyes again. "You virgins often misconstrue things. Love is one things, sex is another. A man could love a woman, but lay with another, yet it would not affect his relationship with the one he loves. It's quite simple actually."

I crossed my arms. "It's not that simple actually. If a man loves a woman, he would only lay with her and not anyone else. Besides, you know Theon just as well as I. If he sees something he wants, would he pursue it?"

Ros scrunched her red eyebrows together as she started to think about what I asked. "I suppose he would."

I increased my hand and gave her a triumphant smile. "Good. Now that we have that fact established, if he really wanted me, in a romantic way, why hasn't he pursued me in his usual 'I'm an Iron Islander, Fall Into My Bed, For I Will Be The Best Lover You Will Ever Have" routine?"

Ros actually seemed stumped as she took a sip of ale. "You know, I don't actually know."

I smiled brightly as I showed her the discrepancy in her theory. "It's because he doesn't want me in that way."

Ros waved me off and giggled. "Fine, fine. You're right. But mark my words, one day a boy will take notice of you and make his feelings known."

I felt a sharp stab of pain in my heart as she said that. I looked down into my cup, my smile slowly dying.

"Ophelia...what's wrong? Was it something I said?"

I looked up and pushed down any tears that threatened to spill out. "No...of course not. I just...I have been having some trouble with a bit, but not of the Greyjoy variety."

Ros reached over across the table and clutched her hand in mine. "What can I do to help?"

I grasped her hand tightly and I shrugged. "I have no idea. I can barely help myself most days? Most of the days, I just feel numb...or overwhelmingly sad."

Rod stayed quiet for a moment. Then she said, "When I'm sad, I like to come here to see if any musicians are playing. I rather like music."

I perked up when she said that. "I know! Why don't you come to my nameday party?! There will be music there, as well as dancing, food, and other nice things."

Ros suddenly seemed unsure as she let go of my hand. "I don't really know..."

"Oh please!", I begged her, "The party will be filled with people I don't even know. It would be fun to have someone I enjoy there, to make it a little more bearable!"

Ros twirled a strand of hair in thought. "I don't have anything nice to wear though."

I waved her off. "Never mind that, I'll find something for you. Oh please say you'll come! You could be escorted by Theon even, I'm sure he won't mind."

Ros' dark blue eyes seemed to question me. "Will I have to lay with him after?"

I felt a look of disgust cross my features. "Eww, no. Why would you ask that? All you need to do is attend and have fun. So would you? You know, like to come?"

Ros actually seemed bashful as she hesitantly nodded. "All right. I'll come."

I grinned widely.

Ros was coming.

If Ros would be there, and Theon, what could possibly go wrong?

A thought suddenly struck me.

"Ros, do you know of any girls who would like to try out the baths that I will be making? I need three girls, each one different."

Ros looked confused. "Different? How so?"

"Well, I'd like my baths to work for each of you, for it to be versatile. I need one girl with oily skin, one with dry skin, and one with delicate skin. Do you know of any girls like this?"

Ros tapped her chin with her index finger until her blue eyes lit up. "Anya had oily skin. She's our least requested lady because of it. Ana has dry skin, she's constantly rubbing water on it. And there's me."

"You?"

Ros pulled up her sleeve and stroked her arm gently while looking at it longingly. "My skin is so fickle, if it's too sunny it burns and if it's too cold it becomes all red and splotchy!"

"Perfect! I'll make the sampler and have you three test the baths. Alright?"

Ros pulled down her sleeve and giggled. "Why, I never expected this is a million years. Parties and luxury baths? I feel like the most privileged girl in all of the Seven Kingdoms."

Despite everything else in my life, I giggled at how infectious Ros' optimism was as I clinked my mug with hers.

Soon enough, Ros had to go back to work. She had another client expecting her, but she told me that she would inform the girls about testing my product. After hugging me goodbye, she told me that she would get Theon to take me home.

I went outside to wait by the horse, when I heard a withered old voice.

"Oh, why isn't it the nice girl who gave me her fruit!" I turned to see the old crime that I met the day I was whipped.

I took a cautious step back. "Hello." My voice was warbled as the woman stood in front of me. She gave me a grin of teeth and gaps.

She gave me a once over. "My, do you not take heed to warnings? Now you've gone and fallen into a relationship with someone you should not have."

I felt my heart stop. "Wha-what do you mean by that?"

The woman circled around me, inspecting me as she did so. Finally, she stood in front of me and said in a dark voice, "I will only tell you once more, so listen carefully this time as it will not be repeated. **Ev** **ents are to cause a change in your life. You will find the answers in the past, and resolves in the distance. There will be four paths. The red one, the yellow one, the grey one, the purple one. Go down grey, and see your heart's dismay. Go down yellow, and be trapped by creatures of darkness. Go down red and see history come alive. Go down purple, and be immersed in honesty. The choice is coming up soon. Two but not the same. Two of noble name. Two to play the game.** "

I groaned in confusion. "I don't know what you mean! Paths, events...when will it start?!"

The old woman grabbed my face, her fingernails digging into my skin, and she pulled me down to her eye level. "The events have already taken place. The paths have already been set. It is all a chess game from here in out, and soon, you will need to make your position known."

I jerked out of her grasp and rubbed my chin. "I don't know my position or what it is! And chess?! What does a silly game have to do with anything?"

The woman shook her head and looked at me with sad eyes. "If you cannot see the game for what it is, I fear you already have lost."

"Ophelia! I'm all finished up, we can get going." Theon bounded over to me with a satisfied smirk on his face. I turned to see the old woman was gone and for a moment, I thought I had imagined all of it.

"Oh by the Drowned God! Where did you recieve those scratches?" I felt Theon's fingers run over my chin and cheeks, and his worried face came into my line of sight.

My blood ran cold and I stuttered. "I-I-I don't really know what happened."

Theon sighed and helped me onto the horse. "I'll take a better look once we've arrived at Winterfell." I nodded and we set off.

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I think I'm a jinx.

Trouble before the party started with a sneeze.

It came from Bran.

I was passing him with a crate of candles in my hands when I heard him sneeze. Usually, I would have dismissed this, but then came a cough.

I set down the crate and I walked over to Bran.

I bent down to his eye level and studied his face. It was flushed red, his eyes had goop in them, and his nose was drippy. "Bran", I asked him with caution, "are you feeling alright?"

Bran nodded as he wiped his nose on his sleeve. "I am, I'm just a bit tired."

My eyes narrowed. "Don't lie to me just because you're afraid you'll miss the party. Now tell me, are you feeling alright?"

Bran's widened in fear and he nodded. "Yup. I feel as healthy as an ox."

"Mmm-hmm." I lifted up my hand. "Tell me, how many fingers am I holding up?"

"Lemon?"

I stuffed my laugh down my throat. "Two. The answer is two. Lemon is not a number. Come on you." I picked him up and carried him up to Maester Luwin's tower. I knocked on the door with my foot.

Maester Luwin answered it and gave me a surprised look. "Ophelia, why aren't you down in the Great Hall helping set up the tables?"

I nodded my head to the boy in my arms. "I ran into a detour along the way. He isn't feeling well."

I let myself in and placed Bran on the medical table. "He was sneezing a lot, he has goop in his eyes, and when I asked him how many fingers I was holding up, he told me Lemon."

Maester Luwin gave me a comical look. "Lemon?"

I nodded in confirmation. "Lemon. As in the fruit."

The Maester felt Bran's forehead. "He seems to have a fever, which is probably making him delirious. If he isn't well by tomorrow night, he won't be able to attend the party, for he might still be ill."

Bran, hearing this, sat up. "I'm fine. I can climb a boat on a mountain! You'll see."

Luwin and I looked at each other as Bran then passed out on the table.

Oh dear.

Upin seeing Bran collapse, I rushed down the tower to find My Lady.

I ran to the Great Hall, where My Lady was ordering some male servants how to place the tables around the room. "My Lady! My Lady, Bran is sick, he's in Maester Luwin's tower!" My Lady stopped giving orders as she gave me a shocked look.

"What? Are you sure?"

"Yes! I took him there because I noticed how unwell he seemed. When we got to Maester Luwin's tower, he ended up passing out on the table. My Lady, I'm worried...he has a fever and was spouting off nonsense about lemons, boats, and mountains."

My Lady heard no more as she picked up her skirts and took off to see to her child. I smiled thinking that was our only problem.

Well, when I went with My Lady to put Bran to bed, Arya came to the door to snicker at her brother.

"I think it's funny." She sniffed as she leaned against the door frame. I glared at the little wolf girl as I helped take off Bran's boots.

"Arya, your brother getting sick is no laughing matter. You should be thankful I caught it this early, or else some other unfortunate soul should have fallen ill."

Arya rolled her eyes and sniffed. "I only think it's funny because he was bragging about how all the Lords would only talk to him, because he's a boy."

My Lady was tucking Bran in as I turned around to exit the room. "It wasn't nice for him to say that, but it also wasn't nice for you to think of your brother's affliction as funny." As I rumpled Arya's hair on my way out, my fingers brushed against her forehead. It was hot.

I backtracked and stood in front of the girl who looked at me defiantly. "Arya...you're sick too...aren't you?"

Her eyes went wide and she shook her head. "No I'm not."

I knelt down in front of her and took notice of her red nose, goopy eyes, and the heat that was emitting from her skin.

"My Lady, I think Arya may have fallen ill as well!"

"I am not ill!"

My Lady came over and took in Arya's appearance. "Arya, go to your room and lay down. I'll send some tea up your way in a bit."

Arya crossed her arms and glared away. "I am not sick! I feel fine."

I bent down to her eye level and whispered in her ear, "If you do this, you can get out of the rest of your sewing lessons for today."

Arya's eyes widened and she uncrossed her arms, reluctantly relenting her resolve to be stubborn. "Fine. But I'm not very sick...just a bit under the weather." I rolled my eyes as she turned away to go to her room.

I strided next to My Lady as we made out way back to the Great Hall. I could tell she was worried about this sickness spreading, so I linked my arm through hers and gave her a reassuring smile. "Do not worry, My Lady. It was only two people. Everything will be fine."

Now, to those reading this, I should let you know...I need to learn to keep my mouth shut.

Within several hours of me uttering those words, half the castle had gone under. Most of the servants who usually could be seen going to and fro, were gone. Even Katherine, who never fell ill, could not help but become susceptible to the grasp of this mysterious illness. Maester Luwin was locked up in his Study brewing every remedy known to man. My Lady also shot an icy look at me when we were informed about the sickness that infected half of the castle's inhabitants. I gave her a sheepish look in return and mumbled, "Well...it's only a sickness. Nothing else has gone wrong."

It was when I said this, the Gods decided to have fun with me. Robb and Theon ran into the Great Hall soon after, out of breath, and stressed out.

"Mother, there's been a problem!" My Lady, who was finishing up the tables, walked over to her son. "Yes?"

Robb seemed to try to find the right words to say, so Theon jumped in instead. "Lady Stark, there's been a problem with the man who was to bring salted pork and beef. He was robbed by Wildlings and was killed. They took all the food that he had with him. We have no meat for the party! And with half the castle sick, there's not enough staff to cook the party's feast. The head cook is out of his mind, trying to do everything with only four other people. They need an extra set of hands, but no one is available."

Then Sansa came in and said, "The seamstress fell ill, my dress isn't done for the party!"

Just as My Lady was about to answer these grievances, Lord Stark came in. "Wife, there's been a problem with the roads. Some of our Northern guests have to delay their journey due to flooding."

"What?! Are you certain?"

"I was received several ravens just now."

"What about my dress?"

"Forget the dress! There will be no party if we have nothing to feed our guests."

"Well there will barely be any guests, because half of them are unable to make the journey!"

"Should we cancel the party?"

"Are you daft! We can't cancel it!"

Everyone's voices overlapped the others and I felt myself compacting smaller and smaller, the room around me getting tight.

Then, it exploded.

"WILL ALL OF YOU SHUT UP?!"

It was silent. All pairs of eyes focused on me and I felt myself shrinking.

"I am so tired of hearing about what's wrong! I want to know what we can do to fix it." There was moment of shocked silence, and then I said, "Fine, no one will give me a solution?! Here's one: " I pointed to the Robb and Theon, "You two. Grab Jon, Jory and a couple other people who aren't sick. Go out hunting for some rabbit, venison, and quail." I looked over at Lord Stark. "My Lord, you know the North better than anyone! Find a different route for the Northern families who have been faced with a delay. Take Sansa and you two send word out, but do this quickly as you don't have much time." I turned to My Lady. "My Lady, finish up Sansa's dress. These decorations can wait, but an unfinished formal gown will take a long time to put togther. Get Septa Mordane and the both of you finish Sansa's dress."

Everyone kept staring until Lord Stark said, "Well...you heard Ophelia. Everyone has a job, I suggest we get to it." He gave me a proud smile and I let out a breath of relief as everyone scattered to go do their job.

Before I left, Robb pulled me aside and looked at me seriously. "When should we get back?"

Without a missed beat, I answered. "In three days will be the party. You need to be back by that morning." Rob nodded and left to gather up some men.

As I made my way to the Kitchens, I noticed Little Rickon kicking a rock, all by himself.

I went over to him. "Rickon, I'm heading to the Kitchens to help cook the feast. Would you like to join me?"

Rickon seemed happy that someone was actually paying attention to him and he nodded. "I would love that!"

I grinned and took him by the hand. We had work to do.

 **Alright, here's it was! Next chapter will be Ophelia helping out in the Kitchens, Final dealings with the brothel, and the Party! :D Please, please review! If we could get this up to 83 reviews, it would make my day! Anyways read, review, and rest easy! :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sorry for the delayed update! My mom has been a total nightmare as has classes. And the holiday season. :D**

 **Anyways, I decided to do most of the party next chapter! It's such a huge event to tackle and there will be a lot of people to meet there. Thank you to all who reviewed last chapter! I am so thankful that you liked Jon's point of view on their relationship ending and how I inserted Ashara Dayne into the story.**

 **Ros' and Ophelia's dresses can be viewed on the Armstreet website.**

 **Ophelia's orange working dress is Medieval Dress Tunic 'Red Elise'**

 **Ros' is party dress is Blue Medieval Dress 'Lady of the Lake'**

 **Ophelia's party dress is Medieval Noble Dress 'Lady Rowena'**

 **As always, I own nothing besides House Pyralis, Ethaesper, and Nadyea.**

1st P.O.V. Winterfell

 _I can't believe I did that!_

 _I can't believe I did that!_

 _What was I thinking?_

These were the thoughts that went through my mind as I walked to where I needed to go.

What had gotten into me? Commanding people like that? I shuddered. Ugh! Never again. I swore. As an individual, I don't give orders; I take them. That's the way it's always been and the way it always will be. It's what I was comfortable with.

WHY DID I STEP OUT OF MY AREA OF COMFORT?!

I winced as I remembered how I basically shouted at everyone and told them to shut up.

Holding Rickon's hand, I went quickly to my room and ushered him in.

"Why are we going to your chambers?" Rickon asked in a small voice. I tusseled his hair. "I just need to grab my apron. Alright?" I went to my chest of drawers, and rummaged through all of my dresses.

"Ooh! A red bird!" I saw a tiny mop of curly hair rush past me as Rickon gazed lovingly up at Ethaesper, who was eating in her cage.

She'd been growing since my whole incident with the curly black haired boy. When that had happened, she was still a pale pink fluffball. Now, most of her fluff has been replaced with deep red feathers, though some dark purple ones were scarcely placed under her wings as well. Her tail was now the color of shimmering gold, and her head...well...her head was still part pale pink fluffball. She was larger, now the size of crow. And her chirps had become more melodiac.

I held up my apron triumphantly and closed the drawer shut.

I went to Rickon and smiled at Ethaesper. "Aye. She is a beauty."

Rickon looked at me with big brown eyes. "The bird is a she?"

I nodded. "Yes. But we have to go now. There's a lot to do, and little time to do it."

Grabbing Rickon's hand, I shut the door to my room and led him to the Kitchens where the Head Cook was sitting on a stool with his head in his hands.

I tapped on his shoulder. The Cook looked up at me. "I thought I told you to not come in here anymore."

"You did."

"So why are you here?"

I took a deep breath before answering. "You need help. Half of the castle is indisposed. I want to help. Just tell me what needs to be done, and I will do it."

The Cook sighed before standing up and pointing to a mound of vegetables. "Those need to be chopped up for dinner and put into the soup. Since we have no meat-"

"A hunting party, headed by Lord Stark's son, is gathering to acquire some meat. They will be back the morning of the festivities."

The Cook looked thoughtful before he nodded. "Very well then." He went over to some cupboards and took out several loaves of bread, along with jam, placing them in the middle of a large cloth. The short burly man walked over to the pile of vegetables and put a large bunch of carrots in the cloth, as well as some jerky. He grabbed all four corners and tied it up tightly, making a bundle.

The Cook glanced over to Rickon and said in a deep voice, "Boy! Take this to your brother for the journey."

Rickon nodded in obedience and clung tightly to the bundle that was three times his size.

"Hurry quickly, for they will be leaving soon." The Cook ordered.

Rickon ran as fast as he could, doing his best not to topple over with the weight of the bag.

It was quiet before the Cook snapped, "Do I have to tell you where to get the knives as well?!"

I jumped up and became frazzled. "Ahh! Yes, sir!" I went to on of the knives hanging on the wall and grabbed the one for chopping. I went to the vegetables and got to work.

The Cook had me mostly prepare foods for supper that night, while him and the other four worked on preparing appetizers for the party. When Rickon came back, the Cook had him fetch the ingrediants that he needed for any recipe he had in mind.

I cooked a nice lamb roast with herbs and roasted garlic.

Also soup.

Lots and lots of soup.

As I was bent over a huge boiling cauldron situated on top of a roaring fire, I stroked back a piece of loose hair back into my braided bun.

My thoughts mostly centered on the party.

I had some...affliction...when it came to large quantities of people. It was as if anything I did or said came out uncouth or awkward. Then it became hard to talk to anyone. Usually, if I was allowed to attend a party as a guest and not a server, I would trail behind Theon or...Jon...until I could find the best moment to quietly slip out unnoticed.

I had a feeling though, that this time, slipping out wouldn't be as easy.

I stirred the orange soup clockwise, adding in cloves of garlic or thyme every now and then. I took a a wooden cooking spoon from my pocket and tasted the soup.

Ignoring the heat, I concentrated in the flavor.

Savory, filling, but a bit bland.

I took a pinch of salt from a small bowl on the barstool near me, and sprinkled some in.

I tasted it again, nodding to myself.

Better, much better.

Then I heard it.

A flurry of footsteps followed by "Have you seen-Ophelia! What are you doing in here? You should be setting up the Great Hall or airing out your gown for the party."

I set the ladle on the barstool and turned to see My Lady with a parcel in her hands.

It was a fancy package wrapped up in beautiful silver paper with swirls on it. Holding it together, was thin silver rope.

I wiped my hands on my apron. "What is that?" I asked pointing to the package.

My Lady gave me a smile before coming over to me. "Your first nameday present." She offered it to me, and I hesitantly took it. I examined the box before giving her a small smile.

"Thank you, My Lady. But you didn't have to get me anything.." I trailed off.

My Lady shook her head, her loose crimson locks bouncing about. "I did not get you this. It arrived by raven just now! And look who it's from." She retrieved a card from her pocket and gave it to me.

Holding the parcel on my hip, like one would with a babe, I flipped open the card with one hand. My mouth immediately frowned slightly in confusion.

 _To The Last Pyralis,_

 _Sincere greetings from your friends in Dorne._

 _Please accept this gift as an apology for not a_ _ttending your nameday and as a token of our friendship._

 _We wish you well and hope that one day you will be able to visit us in person._

 _With Much Adoration,_

 _House Martell._

I looked up at My Lady with shocked wide eyes. "You invited the Martells to the party? Aren't they the rulers of Dorne?"

She seemed as confused as I was. "That's just the thing: I didn't invite them."

I furrowed my eyebrows as I re-read the card. "Then how did they know about it? Or even me?"

My Lady let out a laugh of disbelief. "I think this means that your party and you coming out into society is making rounds to all corners of the Seven Kingdoms. It's such big news that it even peaked the interest of Dornish families."

I felt dread come upon me.

"So...all these people know about me?"

My Lady gave me a proud smile and nodded. "It would seem so."

I felt faint.

I stumbled until I fell back onto the ground. I dropped my parcel to the floor and reached out to steady myself. I grabbed the nearest thing possible-which was the cauldron-and effectively burned my hand.

I let out a yelp of pain and stumbled backwards until I fell to the ground. My eyes brimmed with tears and the smell of burnt flesh quickly hit everyone's noses. I've never been burned before, so this was an all new type of pain to me.

My Lady quickly came to my side and held my hand.

It was burned black.

She stiffened at the sight of it, holding it up close to examine my hand.

"Let's go back to your chambers and wrap this up, shall we?" I shook my head, trying to keep a level mind.

"No...it's fine. It doesn't even-", I cried out in pain as My Lady touched one part of my scorched palm with her pinky finger, "-hurt at all. I need to help!"

"Oh no you don't!" Boomed the Cook. He crossed his burly arms and stared me down. "When you became injured, you became ineligible for work. It's best you go off and get that fixed."

"But-" I tried to protest.

"No!" Everyone in the room stated. I bent my head down in embarrassment. "Come along." My Lady helped my up and escorted me out of the Kitchens. She looked over her shoulder to her youngest son, and acknowledged him for the first time since coming here. "Rickon, my love, will you grab Ophelia's gift and follow us?"

"Yes mother!" Rickon beamed and hopped down from the counter. He grabbed the silver parcel (which was twice his size) and followed us to my room.

When we got there, My Lady put ointment on my hand and wrapped it up. "If somebody asks, just tell them you accidentally cut yourself while chopping something, alright?"

"Why?" I asked holding my bandaged hand to me.

My Lady gave me a sad sort of smile and said, "Just trust me on this." She spied my other hand, the one that was scarred because of my blood promises, and asked, "What happened with that hand?"

I gave her a sheepish look. "I accidentally cut myself." This was a lie, obviously, but she didn't need to know that.

My Lady pinched the bridge of her nose. She turned her head to my bird and joked with her. "Ethaesper, whatever will we do with her? Before we know it, she'll be unable to attend the party for she will be in a full body cast."

I giggled. "I do suppose I have a tendency for hurting myself, more than the average person."

"Rickon, bring the gift over please." My Lady's request caught Rickon's attention, who was flopped onto my bed, looking absolutely bored out of his mind. He jumped off and ran over to us, thrusting the box into my lap.

I ruffled his head and he let out a childish laugh. "Thank you, ."

I untied the thin silver rope and undid the wrapping carefully, hoping to save it for some other time. What? It was too beautiful to have it just be torn apart! I opened up the lid of the thick paper box and moved the wrapping paper out of the way.

To my surprise, there were three presents.

The first, was a small sealed tray with tray with seven tiny pouches in it. I opened up the tray and took out each pouch. I handed one to My Lady and we opened them. I immediately noticed the exotic smells coming from them. "This one is full of seeds." She exclaimed. I peered into mine. "This one too." I smelled it again and then I knew what they had sent. "They sent spice seeds, to plant!" My Lady grinned. "What an extravagant gift!" Within each pouch, there were seeds to plant cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, saffron, cloves, anise, and dragon peppers (which were not spices, but it was still thoughtful).

The second, was two long glass jars compacted with stuffed green olives in oil, each olive containing what looked to be cheese. I lifted one jar and noticed the small note underneath the bottles. I grabbed it.

It read:

 _Green olives stuffed with spiced goat cheese._

 _These were your father's favorites whenever he visited us._

 _Maybe they'll be yours too._

 _-O._

I handed a note to My Lady and she let out a gasp. "I should've known." She mumbled. She took the jar from hands and turned it over, gazing at it fondly.

"Sera would tell me how much Rowtag liked going to Dorne. He even travelled with Prince Oberyn for a while. It makes sense now as to why the Martells would take a keen interest in you."

I was astounded. "My father travelled with Prince Oberyn?"

She nodded, her eyes drifting to a far off place. "Oh yes... From what I can remember, I think they accidentally ran into each other in Volantis and ended up joining their travelling parties into one for several months. Eventually one wanted to go to the pleasure houses of Lys while the other wished to venture to Sothroyos, so they parted ways on good terms. He was in attendance at your parent's wedding."

"Oh." Was all I managed to say. I was speechless. So the 'O' on the card was Prince Oberyn? A Prince wrote me a card! "How very nice of him to remember something like that."

My Lady put the jar into the box and sighed. "Your father was a very well-liked man. He and your mother had friends everywhere. People don't make the best decisions though and it can cause others to think less of them, despite all the good they've done in their lives."

"And is that what happened? With my father?"

My Lady stayed quiet and fiddled with her fingers. Finally, after a brief moment, she responded with, "Yes. That's what happened."

I looked at the box of gifts and immediately felt insecure. "Do...do you think that if the Martells, or any of my father's former friends, met me...that they would be disappointed? I'm no great beauty like my mother nor am I as confident and adventure-seeking as my father. I'm just me...just...meh."

My Lady sighed before she gave me a reassuring smile. "You're not ordinary or meh. You are a unique person."

I nodded, not really believing her. I reached for the third gift: Three dark covered ceramic jars. I opened on and saw that it was powder for red paint. I opened the other two. Powders for yellow and blue paints.

I cocked my head to the side. "The Martells seem very generous, I'll have to write them a letter of gratitude."

My Lady looked around my room and noticed all the ingrediants for the baths that I was making for the brothel.

"What's going on over there?"

I shrugged. "Just experimenting."

"Huh." She wondered out loud, reaching for a ceramic jar.

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Later that evening, I was in the Wintertown brothel and three newly bathed prostitutes clothed in short brown robes were in front of me. I had sent a raven containing the baths ahead of time so Ros and her co-workers could bathe before I arrived. This was good, as it allowed me time to negotiate prices without having to wait for them to finish bathing.

Nadyea and I inspected each women by feeling their arms and necks, taking note of how much their skin improved, and smelling them, seeing which one had the nicest scent.

"I 'ave come to a conclusion for ya." I stood back as Nadyea sat behind her desk. She waved her hand, dismissing the other women. Ros shot me a worried look before leaving the room.

I sat down in front of Nadyea in the chair opposite of her, and crossed my arms in a business-like manner. "And this conclusion would be?"

"Sera...ya are a miracle worker. These baths are great. Yet I 'ave to take in economies. I'll take the milk mint bath and the chamomile lavender one. I want a dozen bottles of each in exchange fer-," Nadyea unlocked one of the drawers to her desk and pulled out a huge sack of coins,-"seven silver pieces for each dozen."

I felt my heart stop. "Seven silver pieces each? That's far too much! I'd be fine with just three."

Nadyea narrowed her green eyes at me. "Is this not the best?"

"I-uhh-what?"

She drummed her long nails on the table and said, "If ya want a lower price, that must mean it ain't the the best. I only want the best for my girls."

I scratched my arm in a nervous fret. "My baths are good...I guess. They're great-"

"Good." She retrieved seven silver pieces and reach over to grab my wrist. She turned my palm upwards and placed the coins in it. She closed my hands and waved me off. "I'll expect another batch by tomorrow, and ya will get the rest then. Understand?"

I faltered in my speech and bit my lip. "Ummm...Nadyea...I need to help at the castle with the party...would you mind if Ros could come pick it up and then give it to you?"

Nadyea thought it over for a second before she nodded. "Fine. But it better be ready by the time she arrives."

I deflated with relief. "Alright. Thank you."

I walked out into the hall where Ros was waiting for me. She pulled me into a corner.

"Well?" She asked, crossing her arms and looking around. "What did she say?"

I rubbed the back of my head and shifted from one foot to the other. "Fourteen silver pieces for two dozen bottles. I asked that you pick them up. This way, I can trust the person delivering them and also, you could pick out one of my dresses to wear for the party!"

Ros seemed to think it over before she nodded. "Alright. But when should I come by?"

"Tomorrow by noon."

Ros smiled. "I shall be there."

Once I left the brothel, and made my way back to Winterfell, I headed immediately for the Kitchens. I had a lot of work to do.

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Without Katherine to attend me, and me not going to bed until early the next morning, I woke up really late the next day. Personally, this was troubling because I've always been an early riser. But lately, with the event that happened with Jon, sleeping in seemed all too tempting.

There was a pounding at my door when I awoke. Startled, I jolted out of bed and fell onto the stone floor. Wincing as I got up, I walked over to the door and unlatched it. Opening it up, Ros was standing in front of my door, her travelling cloak's hood covering her bright red hair and beautiful face.

I gave her a wary smile and allowed her in, shutting the door behind her.

Yawning, I stretched my arms above me, popping my back, and scratched my arm. "So, I finished up the orders last night."

Ros pulled her hood back and smiled at me. "Good. I have one of the men from town helping me. He's letting me borrow his cart, you see."

I raised an eyebrow. "How did you manage that?"

Ros shrugged as her blue eyes inspected my room. "I let him have a free ride."

I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion and crossed my arms. "A free ride on wha- _oh_!" Blushing immensely, I cleared my throat and looked down at the floor. Rod giggled and unfastened her cloak, putting it on one of the chairs. I suddenly felt super nervous.

Asides from the boys, I never had a friend in my room before.

What if it was too messy?

What if she didn't like it?

I eyed my unmade bed and the untidy pile of books near my bed. I went over and started to fix my sheets in a nervous fret.

"I'm so sorry!' I apologized pulling off the blankets. "I am usually much cleaner than this. It's just with the Ball and the baths and everyone being sick I haven't had the time to tidy up."

Ros didn't repond to me, because she was enraptured by something else.

"What a magnificent creature!" She gushed. I turned to see Ros was standing in front of Ethaesper's cage, watching her sleep.

I smiled fondly at my companion and walked over next to the red-haired woman. "Her name is Ethaesper. I found her as a chick in the woods. Lately she's been growing and molting out of her baby fluff."

"Ethaesper." Rod repeated softly as she gazed lovingly at the bird. She turned to me and asked, "What kind of bird is she?"

I scratched my head. "I believe she's a cardinal. That's closest I can get to what she looks like. I mean, she's red and cardinals are red...so she must be one. That's what I think anyway."

Ros kept staring at my bird, a far off look in her eyes. Snapping my fingers, I remembered what else I had for Ros.

I pulled her by the hand and led her over to my chest of drawers. "Now I know I said that I would let you choose which dress you wanted to wear, but I saw this old one of my mother's and I knew it was for you."

Pulling out the dress that I found among most of my mother's, I presented it to my friend in pride.

The dress was made of fine flax linen and was dyed a vibrant blue. The sleeves were fitted, yet they also drapped down to the floor. It had golden embroidery on the neckline and hemline, as well as on the parts of the sleeves that were fitted. It has golden strings on the sides to adjust the fit of the dress, as well as on the back, and it was floor length. Asides from the glorious design of this gown, I chose it because I thought that the color would bring out Ros' beauty the best.

I laid it down in front of her on my bed.

She was quiet for a long-time.

Fearing the worst, my stomach dropped and I felt the sudden urge to scratch my arm. "If you don't like that one, I have others that you can look at." I offered.

Ros looked at me, her blue eyes shinning with happy tears as she grinned. "No! This is perfect. It's beautiful!"

I felt myself letting out a breath of relief and I smiled widely too. "Really? Do you mean that?""

She nodded, her red curls bouncing about. "Yes! You would really let me wear this?"

I nodded. "Of course I would. In fact, why don't you keep it?" I suggested, happy that she liked it.

Ros suddenly stopped smiling, her face becoming serious. "Ophelia, this was one of your mother's dresses. It wouldn't be right."

I shrugged as I went over to the bed and started to fold it up. "It would absolutely be right. I have too many dresses that were my mother's...more than I'm comfortable having. As long as you take care of it, I'm fine parting with it."

"You've already given me your red coat, I can't take this as well." Ros protested.

I gave Ros a pointed look and gestured to her ragged travelling cloak. "I have a new cloak, and you helped me when I was whipped. I meant what I said in my last letter. That coat is rightfully yours. Plus, I bet it is a good deal warmer than that old cloak of yours."

"Ophelia-" She said weakly. I stopped folding the dress and turned to my friend, taking her hands in my own. "Ros...I understand. It's too much...isn't it? All of these material possessions that I'm offering to you seem much too extravagant. Am I right?"

Ros nodded. I gave her an empathetic look and squeezed her hands tightly. "I labored as a servant, with barely anything to the name that I had no knowledge of even holding. Then one day, I have more things than I know what to do with and a useless family name. Having nice things doesn't make me happy, but being the cause of other people's happiness does. And if that doesn't suffice, think of it like this: I'm passing on a dress that I never use to someone I know who will use it well."

Ros still seemed hesitant, before she said, "If you're sure..."

I gave her a wide smile. "I am." Going to my bed to fold the dress, I looked back over my shoulder and told her, "Make haste and get your man. We need to get these out of here before anyone sees. Oh, and when you come back for the party, bring the rest of the coins. Alright?"

Ros went over to the table and put on her cloak. "Aye, I will." She left to go get her man to help. I took the dress and wrapped it up in some cloth, tying it tight with a ribbon. I put the bundle on top of the two stacked crates that were on my table.

I heard a knock and then My Lady's voice. "Ophelia? Are you up? You must come quickly, some of our guests are arriving."

Panicking, I grabbed a sheet of parchment and a quill, writing a quick apology to Ros and telling her that I'd see her at the party. Quickly stripping down to my chemise and stays, I let my hair down out of it's braided bun and put on my green dress, the one I wore when I ran off to the Wolfswood. I hastily laced it up tightly and pulled off my stockings.

Hearing My Lady knock again and ask, "Ophelia? Is everything alright?"

I tripped on my way to the water pitcher and basin on a drawer near the corner of my room. I quickly poured some water in the basin and put the pitcher on the floor. I opened the drawer and pulled out a washcloth, soaked it up, and cleaned off my face. "I'll be there momentarily!"

I grabbed two thick strands of hair and twisted them, tying them together in the back of my head. Quickly unlocking Ethaesper's cage, I put my arm out to her. She yawned. and stretched out her wings. Then she started to nibble under her wing.

"Oh for the love of pie!" I moaned. I grabbed her (which she sqwaked loudly at and bit my ear in vengeance) and sat her on my left shoulder.

"I know you're barely up, but if people want to meet me, they have to meet my family too. Alright?"

I swear Ethaesper rolled her eyes. She cooed melodiously in reluctant agreement.

I stroked her head gently and gave her a worm from her bowl. "Thank you for understanding, my friend." She took the worm and nuzzled the top of her head to my cheek.

I turned my face to the side and kissed the top of her head. Running over to the small bouquet of white wildflowers that was on the edge of the table, I plucked some and decorated the twists of my hair with them.

I went over to the door and swung it open. "I'm ready!"

My Lady eyed my appearance and sighed. She took my by my arm and said in an exasperated voice, "If we had more time, I would tell you that what you're wearing is inappropriate."

As we started to walk, I looked down at my dress and up at Ethaesper, I became confused. "I'm fully dressed though."

"You're not wearing shoes, your dress isn't the type you should be greeting fellow nobles in, and you have a bird in your shoulder."

I shrugged and then giggled as Ethaesper cooed again. "I won't pretend to be something that I am not."

We came to the main gate just in time to see some people ride in. Because they were coming for a party held in my honor, I got to stand next to the Starks for just this once. I was really giddy about this. I was placed between Lord Stark and Sansa.

Noticing the rider's holding peculiar banners, I tried to track my brain with the House that was entering Winterfell. Giving up, I leaned into Lord Stark and whispered, "My Lord, which House is arriving?"

He leaned in and whispered, "The Boltons of the Dreadfort."

Nodding, I stood up straight.

Time to act proper.

Behind all of the men, came two people, then a bunch more men.

First, there was an older man, with cold eyes and an imposing stature. His eyes studied the courtyard, and when they settled on me, I could feel the disdain of his critique on me.

Next came a strapping young man with shoulder length hair. From here, I could see his eyes matched his father's, however, they were pensive and kind.

They stopped their horses and unmounted them. The man walked over, taking off his leather riding gloves and shook Lord Stark's hand. "Ned." The man curtly greeted.

Lord Stark stared intensely at the man and gripped his hand tightly. "Roose."

The young man came up to Lord Stark and gave him a polite smile. The Lord stepped aside so his son could greet the Warden of the North. He shook his hand and said, "Lord Stark, it is an honor to meet you. Thank you for inviting us to the party."

Lord Stark gave the young man a small smile. "You must be Domeric. I've heard you're quite the rider."

Domeric stepped back and shook his head, his cheeks becoming a tinge of pink. "I wouldn't say that."

Lord Bolton, who had just greeted Rickon and My Lady turned to his son and said in a cold voice, "Don't be modest, son."

The Lord of the Dreadfort stood straight and looked at Lord Stark, as if he was challenging him in an unspoken way. "He's the best in the North, perhaps even in the Seven Kingdoms." Lord Bolton's eyes shifted around and he gave Lord Stark a false smile. "Where are your other children? I was hoping to meet your son. Jon isn't it?"

Everyone went silent and Domeric muttered a quiet, "Father please.."

The two Lords held a staring contest. Finally, Lord Stark gave Lord Bolton a courteous smile, stating, "My son Robb is off on a hunting trip with other able-bodied men and my other two children are ill and resting in their rooms."

I silently cheered on My Lord as he smoothly directed Lord Bolton's statement to another topic.

Roose rose an eyebrow and bowed his head. "My good wishes towards your children. I do hope they will feel better."

Lord Stark nodded. "Thank you." He looked at me and put his arm behind my back, nudging me forward. "May I present my ward, Lady Ophelia of House Pyralis?" I gave him my brightest smile.

I curtsied slowly and stood up.

Lord Bolton smirked as he stepped forward, taking my hand to kiss it. "I wasn't aware that any Pyralis' were left." I felt my smile falter and shivers go up my spine as his lips touched the skin of my hand. "Nonetheless, I am happy to see such a beautiful girl as you in the North." He took both of my hands and rubbed them tenderly. He gently turned them over inspecting them. "My...what rough hands you have. You must be a hard worker, though this one seems to have been injured." His thumb traced over my bandaged hand.

My palms started to sweat and I averted my eyes to the ground. I knew what he was insinuating. Ladies were supposed to have smooth soft hands, whereas I, a former serving girl, had rough hands.

I felt Ethaesper squawk and I pulled back from this guest, fearing what she would do to him if I did not step away. Lord Bolton examined my bird and I laughed nervously. "This is Ethaesper, my companion." The Lord of the Dreadfort stepped aside, ignoring Ethaesper. "May I introduce my son and sole heir, Domeric of House Bolton."

Domeric stepped forward and gave me a genuine smile. "I am pleased to meet you, Lady Pyralis." He kissed my hand and I felt a blush rising to my cheeks. "I am pleased to meet you as well!" Still holding my hand, the Bolton Heir curiously gazed at my bird. "What a beautiful creature. What species of bird is it?"

Taking my hand from his, I held out my arm and Ethaesper walked from my shoulder to my forearm. "I think she might be a cardinal, but I'm not entirely sure. I found her in the Wolfswood."

"May I?" Domeric asked, reaching out his hand. I nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! Ethaesper loves people."

Domeric gently stroked the top of Ethaesper's head and then her neck. "She's a beauty."

I smiled agreeing with him.

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Once the Boltons were settled in, I went into my room to air out my gown for the ball. The crates were missing as was the bundle for Ros' dress. I was putting Ethaesper on my bed when I heard voices out in the hallway.

"She's quite the daft girl." The man's voice was deep and brooding. Their footsteps stopped right in front of my door, and I tip toed over to listen more.

Who was a daft girl?

"And nothing spectacular to look at either. It's damn shame considering how radiant Seraphine was." I felt dread knot in my stomach as another man started to speak. They were talking about me.

"She does take after her father though." This was a third man and his voice wasn't as nasty as the others.

"It doesn't matter who she takes after, she's a freak like the rest of her family. Thank the Gods they're dead." The second man stated in a calm gruff voice. I felt my breath hitch as I remembered how My Lady told me that my family wasn't the most popular among the other families in Westeros, even though they were vastly wealthy.

"Aye! Did you see her prouncing about shoeless with that thing on her shoulder?" The first man asked the other two.

"It's hard to believe that Lord Stark allows that behavior." The second voice said.

"Perhaps she's mad? After all, the Pyralis' did marry their own, and some were more aloof than others." This suggestion that I wasn't in my right mind came from the third voice and it made me frown. I wasn't crazy.

"Aloof?! Don't you mean batshit crazy? Those bird-hoarding peasant-loving cretins gave the Targaryens a run for their money. At least the Dragon Lords knew their worth and associated with their own kind. I remember attending a Ball at Highgarden when I was a young lad. All in attendance were simple farmers and miners, not a noble in sight!" The second voice was harsh and critical, spewing out hatred towards people who could no longer defend their name.

"I hope that's not the case for this party, or else we would have travelled all this way for nothing!" The first voice exclaimed with shock.

"I agree. Anyway, when I asked Rowtag's father about it, he said, 'We were servants once too. We're no higher or better than those who slave away in the mines or labor in the field's.' What horse shit." The second voice spat out.

"Let's hope Domeric is sensible enough to not actually take interest in this girl." The third voice was calm, and it sounded like he was adding onto the conversation so he would not be left out.

"Of course he wouldn't! With no dowry, a ruined family name, and the appearance of a goat-fucking hag, I doubt he'd marry her." I back away slowly, starting to feel self-conscious. I wasn't that bad looking...right?

Then I thought about the boy named Snow and how he didn't want to be with me...I touched my face and scrunched my eyebrows. Perhaps that was another reason he didn't want to be with me...I was a hag.

"Does Lord Stark really think that throwing some fancy party will be an incentive to marry that savage of his?"

Wait what?

My head snapped up and my mouth dropped open.

No, this was false information! This party wasn't for me to meet a suitor, it was for my nameday...right? At least, that's what Lord Stark and My Lady told me.

I shook my head. No, they had to be lying or maybe they had false information.

"I bet it was his Tully wife that conjured up this idea. I recall she was closer to Seraphine Pyralis than the moon is to the stars. They were a matching set. You never saw one without the other. Ned has never been fond of parties, so I bet it was her." The second voice deduced, his voice dripping with venom.

"What an idiot woman." Replied the first voice.

I clenched my fists.

How dare they?!

Those barbarians walk in Winterfell and insult the family that was showing them hospitality?

What was wrong with these people?!

I stayed in my room for the remainder of the night, unwilling to mingle with the Boltons or their men.

I (along with everyone else) took my supper in my room, since the Great Hall was strictly off limits until the night of the party. The next day, I kept up with avoiding everyone by keeping to the Kitchens to help prepare some of the desserts for the party. Even when more guests arrived, I didn't greet them.

If they wanted to meet a freak, they'd just have to wait for the party.

Whenever My Lady would come and try to find me, I hid in one of the cupboards. The Cook, who was borderline desperate for help, would lie for me and tell My Lady that I was somewhere else.

The Cook and I made custards, honey cakes, plum pies, persimmon pies, and lemon cakes. All of us helping out in the Kitchens took a break mid-day to eat lunch, then we went back to work.

I mean, there isn't much to say about this because who wants to hear about the entire process of how custard is made?

Before I left, the Cook sat near the fire with a pitchfork in hand.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"I need to keep the rats away."

"Rats?!" All these years, the Cook prided himself in having a rodent-less work area. Never once had there ever been an incident with a mouse or rat.

He let out a deep chuckle. "There's no need to fret, girl. The rats I'm talking about are the Bolton men. Just last night, I caught them trying to come into my kitchen to eat the food we've been preparing."

I gave him a grateful look and patted his shoulder. "Thank you!"

I went to bed that night, as tired as ever, hoping to get this event over and done with.

And when the horns rang loudly the next morning, signalling Robb's return, I dressed myself in a plain orange working dress and put on my apron.

After fixing my hair into a braided bun, I ran out to the Hunter's Gate where everyone was just riding in. It was early, the sun not even out yet, and it was really cold. When Robb rode in, he had a giant stag tied up and strewn across the back of his horse.

I clapped my hands and whistled. "That is a fine prize indeed!"

Robb halted his horse and jumped down, handing the reins to a stableboy. "Get that deer to the Kitchens right away and then put my horse in the stables. Be quick about it."

"Yes sir." Said the stableboy, leading the horse away.

Robb gave me a wide grin as he took my arm, leading me off. "We caught three deer, two dozen quail, and about eight rabbits."

I couldn't help myself. I hugged him tightly, jumping up and down with excitement. "Thank you! Thank you! You saved the party!" Robb's arms wrapped around me tightly as he chuckled. "It was your idea."

I pulled away and smiled. "But you did all the work."

"He did all the work?!" Theon came into view with a mocked hurt expression on his face. On his shoulder sat fourteen good sized fish. "I shot down those rabbits and even went fishing! And you give him a hug?" I giggled and kissed him on his temple.

Theon smirked triumphantly. "Now that's better." He walked past up with a skip in his step as he went to go give the fish to the Cook.

Then a great thud went behind me and I turned to see Jon, with a blank expression, as he laid a giant stag at my feet. "For your party." He mumbled.

Things suddenly got awkward as I felt tears prick my eyes seeing him and as Jon looked to the side.

Robb, who was once again witnessing us being...well us, cleared his throat. "Ophelia, is everything alright?"

"I-uhh-umm-yeah...it's that...Jon won't be allowed at the party and I want him to come." This was true, but I don't know why I blurted that out.

Robb seemed conflicted as he rubbed the back of his head. "I see...perhaps I should talk to Mother-"

"NO!" We both shouted, instantly blushing as everyone looked our way. Jon coughed into his hand and I fiddled with my dress.

"My Lady has much to worry about", I muttered quietly, my dark crimson eyes meeting Robb's Tully blue ones, "and we both know that she will say no...perhaps you can ask Lord Stark instead."

Robb seemed thoughtful. "Your logic is sound. Fine. I will talk to Father."

Jon shook his head and crossed his arms. "You'll do no such thing, Robb. I don't want to go."

Robb grinned and slapped his brother on the back. "And miss out on Ophelia's entrance into society? I think not. Besides-", Robb stepped away from Jon and pulled me close to him, twirling us about,"-I have spent weeks teaching her how to dance, and we'll finally get to see my mastery pay off stupendously!"

Robb dipped me and brought me back up, leaving me dizzy and frazzled.

"I hate dancing." Jon stated bluntly, his eyes narrowing.

Robb rolled his eyes and took his brother by the shoulder. "Come! I'll not let you miss another event, especially not one this important. We'll talk to Father at once."

Robb led Jon away as they went to go seek out Lord Stark.

I clenched my fists and pushed all thoughts of Jon out of my mind.

Noticing Hodor, I called out to him.

"Hodor, can you come over here and help me with this animal?" The gentle giant smiled at me brightly and responded with a "Hodor!"

"Thank you!" I told him as he lifted the deer onto his shoulders as if it was nothing.

I went into the Kitchens and helped skin the animals that Robb and them brought in.

I helped de-bone most of them and then I helped clean the fish Theon brought.

Throughout all of this, I kept hearing horns, signalling more and more guests.

By mid-day, the Cook dismissed me.

"Child, go clean up and get some rest. I can take care of the remainder of the food."

I looked around to see the other four people scurrying about, do many things at once.

"But you need me."

The Cook nodded and crossed his burly arms. "Aye, I do. But if I did not let you go now, Lady Stark would have my head served on a silver platter at the party."

I cleaned off my hands and put them on my hips. "Well, if you're positive that you don't need my help, then I will go."

The Cook gave me a rare smile and said, "Go on girl. Get your rest. You've earned it."

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It was dark outside, the candles throughout the castle all lit to give everyone light.

As I stared at my reflection into the mirror, I felt dread in my stomach.

In just a moment, I would meet people.

Many, many, many people.

What if they didn't like me?

What if they thought of me the same way the Boltons did?

I clutched my mother's Eyefire necklace that was wrapped proudly around my neck.

My hair was done up into two seperate buns, held together with hairnets and the pearl pins I inherited. The rest of my hair was pulled back into an elaborate bun.

My shoes were made of soft velvet, as was my dress.

My dress, like most of the other items I wore on me, was my mother's. It was a soft grey, with the most beautiful embroidery on the neckline and hemline. It was adorned with beads that looked like pearls and translucent sleeves, buttoned up with the pearl-like beads.

I looked to my companion and gave her a soft smile. "Here we go, Ethaesper. There's no turning back now. Wish me luck!"

I wanted her to come, but since she didn't seem comfortable with Lord Bolton, I decided to keep her in my room. Who knew if the other Lord's would be as menacing as the one that came from the Dreadfort.

I sighed and opened the door, shutting it tight before I made my way to the Great Hall.

Behind it's closed doors, I heard many voices, laughter, and the sound of musicians playing their instruments.

I fiddled with my fingers, contemplating if I should go in.

"Are you ready, child?"

I turned to see Lord Stark next to me. He had his hair pulled back in a bun, his face shaven, and was wearing traditional Northwen garbs.

He was to escort me in, since I was his ward.

I scratched my arm and nodded.

Lord Stark gave me a sympathetic look and took my arm in his. "I was never one for parties either. But let's do our best to have a good time tonight, eh?"

I clutched his arm tightly and looked at him. "Lord Stark, I don't want to embarrass you or anyone. I'm worried that they won't like me or that they'll only see pitiful ruins of a once Great House. They'll only see ashes and a poor serving girl."

Lord Stark shook his head. "They won't see that."

I felt like crying I was so nervous. "How can you be so certain?" My voice was wobbly.

Lord Stark stared straight ahead as he simply answered, "Show them you have risen."

My legs felt like a beef aspect as Lord Stark knocked on the Great Hall's door three times.

"Here we go." Those the words in my mind that drifted in as the doors swung open.

We began to move forwards into the brightly lit room.

Time for the party to begin.

 **Next Chapter: The Party: Part Two! Plus, Ophelia meets several...interesting... people. Thank you so much to those who reviewed! If we could get this up to 91 reviews, I'd be so happy!**


	18. Chapter 18

**I am so sorry about not getting this up on time. I have been dealing with all sorts of personal shit and I've been unable to feel motivated to write. However, seeing all the support you guys have for this story has made me incredibly happy. I wrote this chapter and then re-wrote it more than five times. I finally came to a version that I like though, so Hooray! And also, thank you so much to all of the likes and favorites (96 favorites and 130 follows!). If not for you guys (and a certain darkwolf76) I would have just given this story up.**

 **Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but my OC, My OC's house, My OC's bird, and my OC's handmaiden.**

1st P.O.V. Winterfell

I was blinded by the light.

All of the chattering, footsteps, and music seized when Lord Stark and I entered the room.

Blinking a couple times, my eyes adjusted to the sight in front of me.

It seemed all of everyone's hard work paid off, because everything was beautiful.

There were silver candelabras holding tall white candle sticks, each placed on every table. The chandelier in the middle of the room was lit up.

Throughout the hall, green wreath garlands with white flowers and different sized glass bulbs were elegantly strewn across the balconies, walls, and were wrapped around every pillar. Each table had on two tablecloths, a white one on the bottom and a red one on the top. The chairs had huge ribbons tied to them, and every table had beautiful plates with decorative designs on it.

Every table, asides from the long rectangular high table, was circular. The tables were pushed to the sides of the room, making a huge space in the middle of the hall for dancing. There was an empty one behind the high table to put down presents, which was overflowing with them. Above the high table each banner from every house in attendance was hung.

Pushed to the walls on the left side of the room were long rectangular tables with all the food that we prepared, waiting to be eaten.

Earlier this evening, I made time to get some food to both Arya and Bran. Arya was...mad to say the least. She couldn't attend and was pouting the entire time. Bran, however, was a bit more good-natured about it. He smiled and said 'Thanks!' for his food, but I could tell he was hiding his disappointment about being unable to come to the party.

Digging my fingers into Lord Stark's arm, we silently made our way to the rest of the Stark family, where Lord Stark took me to the middle of the high table.

To my left, sat Sansa (who was very beautiful in her light pink gown with silver embroidery) at the end of the table, then My Lady. To my right, sat Robb at the end of the table, with Lord Stark's empty chair right next to mine.

I gulped as I eyed all the people in the room.

When I was little, I hated being called low-born. Nothing was more insulting to me. That term made me feel like the Starks' wanted nothing to do with me. But now staring into a sea of the people who made up the few that is the upper class, I couldn't help but feel that the term low-born accurately described me. I felt like a fish out of water, like prey surrounded by predator. One look at all of these people and I knew that I would never be one of them.

However, that didn't mean that I could not try.

I had to address all the people in the room.

All. The. People.

My dark crimson eyes shot to Robb in a panic. He gave me a small smile and mouthed _"Go on."_ Looking around the room for a familiar, or at least friendly face, I saw a pair of people who looked at me with kind eyes.

One had on a familiar blue dress. Ros' mop of red hair was tied up with the thin silver rope that I wrapped her dress up in. Standing next to her was Theon.

Ros gave me a sympathetic look, while Theon regarded me with much firmness. The Kraken and I exchanged a look. Ever so subtly, I shook my head, as if to protest me speaking out to these people. Ros saw this and gave me wink, as if to say 'You Can Do It!' My terrified gaze shifted back to the crowd and then to Theon. I felt myself shaking at the thought of speaking to all of these people. Theon, sensing my fear, left Ros' side to take several steps forward. He pushed through the crowd to stand near the front.

My mouth felt dry, opening and closing several times, yet no words of greeting came out.

I heard people murmuring around me.

Starting to feel like a failure, I was about to run right out of there when I saw him.

He was standing near the back, his arms crossed over his chest, his black head down.

He was dressed in his nicest clothes, though he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

His face was cleanly shaven and his hair was slicked back.

His obvious disdain though didn't change the one fact that gave me hope above all else: Jon Snow was here.

Noticing everyone's quiet whispers, he held up his head and his Stark grey eyes met mine.

And in that moment, despite all of the heartache that he caused me, it was only us.

We were the only two in the Great Hall, because everyone else didn't exist.

I cleared my throat and made a clear greeting as if it were only for him.

"I want to say thank you to all who accepted the invitation for this time of celebration. I thank the Old Gods and the New that you have made it here, safe and sound. I appreciate the effort that you made to journey to Winterfell. I hope you all have a nice time. Enjoy the food, dance to the music, and be merry."

I felt my body deflate with relief. It wasn't so horrible...

Jon's eyes left mine and went back to looking at the floor.

I felt a zap go through me when he broke off our connection, a bitter reminder that he no longer wanted anything to do with me. A thunderous applause went around the room.

Scooting back my chair for me, Lord Stark had me sit and he pushed my chair in.

I looked towards the musicians and nodded. They picked up their instruments and started to play as everyone went to grab some food.

A familiar looking man came up to us and loudly boomed, "Isn't that the same girl that came to my castle as a child?! What a beautiful Northern Rose she turned out to be."

The tall man had shoulder-length white hair, a clean shaven face, with an imposing bulky stature. I gave him a wide smile as he walked up to the high table, reaching over to grab my injured hand and kiss it.

"Lord Manderly, it's been ages! How have you been?"

Lord Manderly let out a loud chuckle as he stepped back. "I have been good, _My Lady_ , as has White Harbor." His voice was playful as he said 'My Lady', and even though it felt unfamiliar (like my surname whenever I was introduced) it didn't seem too bad. At least, not when Lord Manderly said it.

I gestured towards the table of delicacies that everyone was clamoring towards, since most of the servants were still sick. "Please, My Lord, help yourself to anything."

He grinned and nodded towards both Robb and I. "I'm surprised that you aren't getting some food. Did you both grow out of eating contests?"

Robb turned our way. "Aye, we still eat. And Ophelia here still has a massive appetite, but we can't let others know, lest they might horde all the food for themselves." The Heir of Winterfell answered cheekily.

I went red and laughed, as did Lord Manderly. He crossed his heart. "I won't tell a soul."

He leaned in towards me and whispered, "I do hope you'll like my gift. I brought you crate of sticky fruit. I remember you had quite an affinity for them." I gasped with joy. "I do! My, my, my! Isn't your memory as sharp as a freshly made blade?"

Lord Manderly stood up straight and did his best not to smile. "If you'll excuse me, I see some fish that seems incredibly delectable."

I giggled as I watched the Lord of White Harbor make his way over to the table. Lord Stark (who was busy whispering something to one of the few servants available) spotted someone near the back of the Great Hall. His face lit up, and Lord Stark stood and nudged me. "Come Ophelia, there's someone I want you to meet." I looked down at my plate and at the food table, feeling my stomach rumble. Sighing, I obediently followed Lord Stark to one of the back corner tables, where a man with dark blonde hair and striking green eyes looked at me. Next to him, was his young son, who looked to be around Sansa's age.

The man smiled and stood up, going around the table to give Lord Stark a hug. "Ned!" The Warden of Winterfell grinned as he clasped the man tightly, stepping back to look him over. "Howland! You look good. I'm glad you came." Lord Stark looked at this man's table. "How is the family?"

"Good! Very good! My daughter and wife are home, but I've brought my son. The trip seemed so long and we won't be staying as long as the other Lords and Ladies, so they felt it was only prudent that we came."

Lord Stark gave the man a kind smile as he clasped his shoulder. "I understand. What matters is that you came."

Someone passed behind me, and I could feel them snickering. They whispered to their companion, "The frog eaters and the firebird...what a sight."

I felt my stomach drop and palms sweat. Would more people act like this? They didn't even know me!

"Don't worry. They're more amused by our being here than by you being a Pyralis." The man named Howland and Lord Stark looked at the the young boy who gave me a mysterious smile. The boy was handsome, in his own right, taking after his father in many ways. He was tall for his age, had dark blonde hair, yet unlike his father who had green eyes, this boy had dark brown eyes.

"They don't understand. You unnerve them just by your presence. You, a reminder of a dynasty ended, and a House annihilated." Lord Stark stepped away from his friend and rose an eyebrow at the boy's peculiar comment.

The lithe boy looked at his father than at me. He stood up and came around the table, grabbing my bandaged hand and kissed it. "Forgive my manners. I am Jojen Reed."

House Reed.

 _Oh._

So that's what that man meant when he said frog eaters.

I looked at Lord Reed and his son and curtsied. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance. You must have traveled a long way. "

"I did not know if you would be able to make it." Said Lord Stark. "The roads were bad."

Lord Reed nodded in agreement to Lord Stark's comment and gave me a gentle look. His green eyes softened as he said, "Yes. But we couldn't have missed this occasion. I knew your father, you see."

I perked up. "You did?!" Lord Stark and him exchanged looks as the latter reluctantly smiled. "Of course. He was a fine swordsman, and one hell of a juggler."

I couldn't help myself. I snorted, putting a hand up to my mouth. "I'm sorry. Did you say juggler? My father, the adventurer, a juggler?!"

Lord Reed let out a small chuckle. "I did say that. He could juggle anything. Plates, swords, boots..." He listed off.

I happily stored that piece of information into my internal library.

Another man was going to pass us, but stopped when he spotted Lord Reed. "Howland Reed. Your arrival was not announced."

Lord Reed stood up a bit more straight and put his arm around his son, as if sheilding him. "Yes. Well, we don't need all the huss and fuss of anouncements. They're a bit too pretentious, don't you think?"

"Yes. Though, as I imagine, you don't have much use for pretense, now do you? With living in a swamp and all."

Lord Reed stayed cool and calm and he replied, "I suppose."

"Still eating frogs?" The man let out a hearty laugh and moved past us.

I scrunched my eyebrows and crossed my arms. "Do people often do that?"

Lord Reed shrugged and scratched the back of his head. "Aye. But I don't mind it much. People will do and say things they think are funny."

"Do you really eat frogs?" I asked in earnest. I put my arms down and leaned in a bit closely for an answer, all while Lord Stark let out a small laugh.

Lord Reed's pale green eyes bore into mine. "Yes. We eat a great many things where we live."

"How exciting! During your stay, could you teach me to catch frogs and cook them?"

"Why would you want to learn that?"

"I love food." I admitted. This caused a round of laughter from the trio of males. "And I like tasting different types of food. There really isn't anything that I don't like to eat. So could you?"

Lord Reed turned to Lord Stark, his expression asking him for permission. Lord Stark made a motion with his hand as if to say 'go ahead'. "Well, seeing that we have a day before we travel back home, I don't see why I can't spare a couple hours."

"Really?! Thank you! I look forward to this new learning experience!" I had to restrain myself from jumping up and down.

I felt so excited.

I'd get to learn how to catch and cook frogs!

This was pretty neat and I could feel my stomach rumbling at the thought of trying a dish that I hadn't eaten yet.

A person came up to me and bowed. "Lady Pyralis, may I introduce myself?" I nodded, eyeing him up and down. He had a narrow face and was really tall with short dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. "I am Cley Cerwyn, first born son of House Cerwyn. Would you care to have the first dance?" His brown eyes shot to the Reeds, barely masking his disdain. "I'd hate it if you were...pressured...into keeping the company of others."

My mouth dropped open as I glanced back and forth between this man and the Reeds.

"Ummm... Uh,well thank you, Lord Cley...", I politefully declined, reaching over to grab Jojen's hand, "But Lord Reed's son has already offered to dance with me first."

Jojen, who seemed to be very passive, gave me an outlandish look.

I caught the poor boy off guard.

"Jojen, wasn't it? Come. I hear a fascinating song that's calling my name." Jojen looked at his father, who was busy hiding a laugh behind his hand. "Son, go on."

Jojen held onto my hand as we made our way to the dance floor. He stood opposite of me and said in a low voice, "I know why you did that."

I tilted my head to the side. "You do?"

He didn't say anything as a new instrumental piece started up. Everyone had turned to the dance floor, watching one in both amusement and shock as I took my first official dance as a Lady with the son from the least popular House in attendance.

Jojen grabbed my hand and spun me around. "You did it because you abhor the ill-treatment of others. You feel that by dancing with me, you're making a statement about those ideals."

I felt shivers go down my spine.

What in the Seven Hells?!

I stopped dancing for a moment to stare at him, with my mouth wide open. "How did you-"

The younger boy took this chance to twirl me. His brown eyes twinkled mysteriously. "I just do."

John's head turned towards the direction of the brooding boy with curly black hair, who was still sulking near the back. "He didn't want to you know."

Did he know Jon? No, that couldn't be possible. He's never been here before, and as far as I know, Jon has never met this peculiar boy.

I became confused. "What are you talking about?"

The short song ended, and he bowed as I curtsied. "Jon didn't want to leave you." I felt myself freeze. I was officially a bit scared. My hand shot out and grabbed his upper arm. "How did you know about that?"

The boy gave me a coy smile and left me, though not before kissing my unbandaged hand and saying, "It was an honor dancing with you. You are everything I hoped you would be."

I shivered at his words.

I didn't have much time to linger on how he knew about Jon and I or his odd comment, before Robb came up next to me. He nodded over the musicians and they struck up another song.

"The moon of the ball, just as I said." Robb whispered as he pulled himself closer to me. One hand was on my waist while the other was raised above me, holding my raised hand.

"Geesh. Thanks for asking me." I joked as the pace of our dance picked up. Robb grinned.

"People hate me." I mumbled lowly and suddenly, making sure to keep my voice barely above a whisper as people joined us on the dance floor. I was insecure about being there and about what people were thinking of me.

Robb shook his head. "That isn't true Ophelia. They don't know you. Give them time, and they'll come to see you for the person you are."

"A servant?" I shot at him, as he lifted me up high. Robb slowly lowered me close to him, and his lips went to my ear as he whispered, "One of the best people I know."

I gave him an unsure smile as he grabbed my waist to spin me around the other couples. "I hope you're right."

"I am." He stated confidently, dipping me down and then back up.

He skipped back a couple of steps as I did the same, and we shuffled to the line that formed in the middle of the dance floor. The women were on one side and the men were on the other, each person facing their partner. Everyone was laughing and smiling as they held the hands of their partner up high, creating a tunnel of human arms. Each couple went through, with Robb and I being the third to go. Robb pulled me close to him and skipped up through the tunnel, until we came out the other side. We clapped to the beat of the music until the last couple went through. When the last couple came to the rest of us, the music stopped and everyone clapped.

I nudged Robb in his ribs. "Thank the Gods I didn't trip."

Robb's smoothly shaved cheeks lifted into a jolly smile that lit up his whole face. "Thank your teacher." Noticing that there was less people around the food tables, he poked me in the stomach. "If you don't mind, I'm going to get something to eat."

"That makes one of us." I mumbled to myself.

I rolled my eyes and left the dance floor.

"You looked great out there."

Domeric Bolton was sitting down at a table, where his father was absent. I spotted Lord Bolton on the other side of the room, kissing My Lady's hand as she stood next to Lord Stark at the end of the high table. I had my reservations about speaking to him, but I dismissed those. After all, it was his men talking horribly about me and the Starks, not him.

"Thank you." I scratched the underside of my arm as Domeric smiled at me. "So...", I trailed off doing my best to make conversation, "How do you like the bread?"

 _'How do you like the bread?'_ Really? That's the best I could come up with?! What's wrong with me! Why was I so awkward?!

Domeric chuckled, however, and held up a slice of it. He took a bite and let out an exaggerated moan that made me blush as several people turned towards us. "Mmmmmm!" He swallowed it and let out a laugh. "Best in the North."

I bit my lip, doing my best to stifle a laugh. "I'm sure that's not true. There's probably better bread elsewhere."

A woman passing by gave me an odd look as she went to her table.

Yup.

Nothing to see here, random Lady.

Just two poeple...talking about bread.

Was there really nothing else I could say to this man? I was rather collected when we first spoke. Whelp, I did not do well in large gatherings. I tried again.

"Do you like fruit?"

I failed.

Domeric smiled kindly though, like he knew that talking to people wasn't my best skill. "Yes. I do. Fruit is good."

It became quiet...awkwardly quiet

Yeah, it was time to go.

"Well have a good night!" In my moment of self-doubt, I forgot the proper way to say goodbye. So instead of curtsying, I patted him on the head (as an individual would with a child) and hurried away, my face burning brightly.

I bumped into several tables, and apologized to the people sitting at them. "Sorry! They just come out of nowhere, the tables do...they come out of nowhere." I gave the people thumbs up on both hands (well, kind of, on account of one hand being wrapped up) and left the area as quickly as possible.

I went to where Theon and Ros were sitting, and sat next to them. "How are you both enjoying the party?"

Theon grumbled as he moved his fork around his empty plate. "It would be better if Ros would-"

Ros shot a glare at Theon. "I'm not here to fuck ya." She leaned over and gave me a hug. "Happy Nameday!" She beamed. My hand went up to her hair and I smiled at her. "You tied up your hair with the rope? My friend, you look absolutely beautiful!" I turned to Theon. "Theon! You should be showing her off and making sure she has a nice time!"

Theon stood up and crossed his arms. "Fine! But, I request one dance from you."

How just like Theon. He won't give, unless he gets.

I looked at Ros, then I turned to signal Robb to come over. Robb quirked an eyebrow and sauntered over, carrying a plate of delicious smelling venison. "Yes?" He asked. I gave him an apologetic look. "Robb, I'm so sorry! I know that you need to eat, but Theon wants to dance and I don't want Ros to be alone-"

Robb's Tully blue eyes went wide and he set down his plate hastily. He pulled me away from the table to get out of earshot. "You invited Ros?!" He exclaimed in shock.

I fidgeted with my fingers. "Well, yes. I-"

"She can't be here!" Robb stated in a low voice, his eyes worriedly shooting to the people around us. "If someone were to find out what she works as-"

"Ros is my friend!" I snapped at him. Robb scrunched his eyebrows, and put his hand on my shoulder. "Ophelia, she can't be here. It isn't dignified."

I jerked from his grasp. "This is MY party and I'll invite who I want! She's my friend and she has just as much of a right to be here as anyone else."

Robb looked confused and ran his right hand through his curly auburn hair. "When did the two of you become friends?"

I blushed and shook my head. "Ummm...uhh...that doesn't matter! Can you keep her occupied...please? It's just for one song!" I couldn't let Robb know about my dealings with the brothel in Wintertown.

"Fine. But you know that this discussion isn't over." Robb informed me, going back to the table to sit down next to Ros, who wasn't paying attention to any of us, but rather the meat on Robb's plate.

Gripping Theon's upper arm, I responded with, "Yes it is." Jerking Theon along, I took him to the dance floor. This one was bit slower than the last, and was a partner dance, rather than a group dance. To be fair though, I only danced partner dances up until this point.

I curtsied low as Theon bowed. Standing up, I reached to grab Theon's hand. He paced a couple steps close to me. "Do you know who all is here?" He whispered in my ear, jumping back as the tempo picked up. I let go of his hand to skip around him, before facing him again. "A little. I know that the Manderlys, Reeds, Boltons, Cerwyns, and from one of the banners I do recognize, the Hornwoods, are present. But everyone else..." I gave him a look of helplessness as he went to stand behind me, holding my waist as we parried forwards, before he lifted me from behind. Gently setting me back down, he came in front of me. I had one hand on his torso, the other in his right hand. He twirled us about carefully doing his best not to bump into other people.

Theon's stormy blue eyes raked over me and leaned in closely. "Well, that is pretty much everyone." "Oh." "You know that I will be honest with you, no matter how much it hurts right?"

I pulled back from him, nodding, unsure of where he was going with this. "I trust you. I know that you would never lie to me."

Theon's gaze darted over my head before he whispered, "Most of these Houses don't care about you."

I tried to fight the urge to snort out a laugh, but was losing the battle. "I know that. The Boltons made it obvious."

A tiny bit of me was upset though. Why bother to come if they don't even care about me or want to get to know me?

Theon's grip on me tightened as he spun us around. "No, you don't understand. Many Houses only came because Lord Stark, the Warden of the North, asked them to attend. Don't be fooled by any friendly faces."

I pulled away from him as the song ended. "The Reeds seemed nice and the Manderlys have known me since I was a girl."

Theon stood close to me as we walked back to the table he was sitting at. He scoffed. "Yeah, you would say that. I don't think that any family here really has the intention of offering their son up for you, so be wary of-"

Excuse me?!

My memory from the Bolton's men outside my room came forthright and I shuddered at the sudden acknowledgment of the truth they were telling.

I abruptly stopped walking and stared up at my friend with wide eyes. "What did you just say?" I choked out, my throat dry.

Theon looked confused. "I thought you knew. It was obvious from the moment that they offered you a party-to meet suitors."

Taking note of my fearful look, Theon's head bent down towards mine. He asked me in a caring cautious voice, "You really didn't know...did you?"

I felt like the wind getting knocked out of me. "I hadn't an idea." My hand went to the silver velvet fabric of my dress that covered my stomach.

I looked around the room and saw that everyone was having a good time, while most were barely noticing my presence.

Suddenly, being in a room full of people seemed draining to me. The room was spinning and it was hard to breathe. Everything whirled around me as if I was turning around rapidly, all the faces blurring together and all of the guests' voices and laughter becoming distorted.

It felt like when Jon rejected me and when the Starks told me of my parentage.

"I-I-I" I did my best to straighten out. "I need some air, Theon. If you'll excuse me-" I stumbled out of the room, apologizing as I bumped into some people on my way out.

The cold night air hit me and I ran far from the noise of the Great Hall.

I just needed a moment to think. I needed a place to be alone without anyone bothering me. Running throughout Winterfell, I made my way up some winding stairs and to a familiar wooden door. Pushing it open, I slammed it behind me, sinking down.

I put my head on my knees, trying to regain control of myself.

"Are you alright, Miss?"

My head snapped up to see an unfamiliar looking man who peered out at me from behind on of the shelves of books in the Library. He was handsome, in a rugged sort of way. He was also young, probably Theon's age or a year older.

Shaking, I tried to respond, but no noise came out.

The man slowly came out from behind the shelf. He held a small leather-bound book in his hand. Turning his head to look around, he walked over to me and knelt in front of me.

"Miss, are you feeling alright?" He asked me again, putting his book down.

Shaking my head, I choked out. "I can't breathe! It was getting too close...too many people...it's spinning.."

"What's spinning?" The man asked in a concerned voice.

"The room." I answered, pulling my legs closer to me.

"Close your eyes while you breathe in through your nose and out from your mouth." He ordered suddenly,. This mystery man's voice left no room for objections. Doing what he said, I closed my eyes and started to breath.

After a while, my erratic heartbeat eventually started to slow down. My body stopped shaking and I felt calmness come over me.

"Better?" I heard the man ask. I opened my eyes and tilted my head back against the door. "Yes."

The man gave me a gentle smile and scooted back from me, giving me space. Once I felt my breathing go completely back to normal, I asked him, "How did you know what to do?"

The man's brown eyes looked empathetic and he scratched the side of his neck in slight nervousness. "I get anxiety attacks as well. Mostly whenever I'm with other people, you see."

I became puzzled. "Anxiety attack?"

The man nodded, reaching over to pick up the book he put down on the floor. "Aye. That's what my Maester calls them. When anxiousness takes a hold of a person and refuses to let go. For me, it's especially worse around large groups of people or when bad things happen."

I gasped. I wasn't alone? This happened to another person! "I know what you mean! I don't like large quantities of people either. They've always made me uncomfortable. I just thought that I was really...shy."

The man offered me his hand, and we both slowly stood up. "No..you probably just have severe social anxiety."

"What's that?" I asked curiously, intrigued that this stranger knew what it was like for me to be around a lot of people.

Even in the low visibility of candlelight, I could see the man's face blush a bit, but he coughed into his fist. "It's anxiousness that can worsen around other people. Though, Father just says that I need to 'be a man and get over it'." He rolled his eyes. "It's not always that-"

"Simple?" I finished for him. He gave me a curious look and nodded. "Yeah."

"Is that why you're not at the-"

"Party?" He asked. I let out a singular laugh and said, "Well...yeah."

The man noticed he was still holding my bandaged hand. He let go of it, taking a couple steps from me. "Precisely. I skipped out right as Lord Stark was making his entrance."

It was quiet for a moment before I asked, "What book are you reading?"

The man held up the book and said, "Oh this? I'm afraid you've caught me reading a rather unmasculine book."

He handed it over to me and I took, my dark crimson eyes going from the book's title to the man in front of me, skeptical that he would actually read this. "The Story of Duncan Targaryen and Jenny of Oldstones?"

The man took it from me and held it close to his chest. "Don't judge me. If there's a book, I will read it."

I crossed my arms and told him, "I would never judge you. It's just that there are other books more fascinating than that one."

The man furrowed his thick brown eyebrows. "Like what?"

I hesitated before walking past him. I went over to one of the top shelves and pulled down a thick volume with gold lettering. Holding it in both hands, I presented it to him.

He rose an eyebrow, his light brown eyes meeting mine. "The Known History of The First Men? You read this?"

"A couple years back. It's a fascinating read."

The man put down his love story book on a nearby self and took the book from me. "Thanks..." He said cautiously.

I felt the corner of my lips twitching up into a small smile and I scratched my arm. "You're welcome..." I trailed off. "I'm sorry, but what is your name?"

The man's eyes widened before he bowed to me. "Forgive me, Miss. My name is Torrhen Karstark."

I curtsied to him, the politeness of it all causing him to let out a small chuckle. "My name is Ophelia." Then I realized that I was missing something from name, cursing myself for forgetting it, even after all these weeks of trying to feel familiar with it. "Pyralis." I added on quickly, still feeling unused to my surname.

Torrhen didn't seem shocked or fazed. He simply gave me a smile and said, "Pleased to meet you...Ophelia."

"What? No Lady Pyralis?" I inquired, half joking.

"You don't strike me as the sort of person who likes to be bothered with titles." He genuinely answered in a quiet voice, his eyes not meeting mine, his demeanor becoming a bit withdrawn.

Wow.

Torrhen was incredibly perceptive. I fiddled with the velvety skirt of my dress and said, "Well...I should be heading back. People will whisper if I don't return. I suppose it's not exactly the conventional thing to slip out from a gathering, especially if it's held in your honor."

"Perhaps you're meant for the unconventional." Torrhen muttered .

I felt blood rush to my face. "Perhaps." I echoed back. I went to the door and opened it up. "Thank you for your help."

I could hear the gentleness in Torrhen's voice as he said, "I'm glad to be of some use."

My hand reached for the door handle, when Torrhen called out to me. "Wait...do you think that is a good idea?"

"Going back to the party? Probably not."

Torrhen gestured around him with the hand that was not holding the leather bound book. "You don't always have to do what they want you to. You can just stay here...and read with me."

The prospect did seem nice, to just ditch the party and be here with this gallant young man, reading by the candlelight.

I was warm all of a sudden, like dragonflies were buzzing around inside of me. "I...umm...I appreciate the suggestion. It was very generous. But Lord Stark is my guardian and I'm sure that he would not be pleased if I chose to leave the party so early on, especially when we put all the work into making this happen."

Torrhen gave me a crooked smile that was more visibly expressed by the way his forehead scrunched up. "Yes. Of course. If you don't mind me asking, what work did you put into this party?"

I balled up the velvety fabric of my dress in one of my hand as the other went to the nape of my neck, while I remembered the hell we went through to make tonight possible. "Well I helped My Lady set up the decorations on the tables, and I put the tables where they needed to go before that, along with a lot of other people. But mostly, I cooked."

His hazel eyes flickered to my bandaged hand and rose an eyebrow in surprise. He rubbed the back of his messy brown-haired head, his hand trailing down his neck to scratch it. "You helped cook?" He asked me, his voice slightly skeptical...and impressed.

Maybe I was hearing this wrong.

I'm not really impressive and anyone can cook if they did their best to learn.

"The servants became sick and the Cook needed help." I let go of the fabric and shrugged, trying (and failing) to appear casual.

I cursed myself for acting so awkward.

Torrhen chuckled. "How perseverent you must be. Most Ladies would not go that far to keep everything together for the sake of a party."

"Perhaps I'm not like most Ladies." Why couldn't I talk this way to Domeric? Instead I spoke to him about bread.

For fleeting moment, I was tempted to pat myself on the back for doing such a good job at conversing, but decided against it.

It became quiet and I felt myself becoming nervous. "I should get back now."

Torrhen sat at one of the chairs near the window and opened the book on his lap. "Enjoy yourself."

"I will do my best...Torrhen." I used his first name as he used mine.

I left and walked back to the party, taking my time. I was in no rush to get back there.

I walked slowly under the torchlights that made the corridor softly glow a warm yellow. Eventually, I made my way into the Great Hall, where everyone seemed to have gotten louder and more inebriated.

"Lady Pyralis!" A man came into view and took my hand, kissing it. "You look radiant tonight!"

"Umm...thank you. Lord...?"

The man let out a boisterous laugh before grinning at me. "I am Lord Greatjon Umber of the Last Hearth."

"Oh yes. I'm happy to make your acquaintance, My Lord." The man stood next to me and put his arm around my shoulder, pointing to a man and a woman nearby. "You see those people?"

"Yes sir." I answered, unsure of where this was going. "That is my son and my daughter. Good people."

"They seem-"

"Lady Pyralis!"

Feeling quite uncomfortable, a man who was older, but had familiar looking eyes came into view. He had on a metal breastplate that had a fish engraved into it. "I...uh...hi?" I spoke in a meek voice, backing up from them.

The man kissed my hand and said, "I am Lord Edmure of House Tully. You don't know me well, but I knew your mother."

I covered my mouth in shock. "You're My Lady's brother?"

"Yes."

I nodded my head towards Lord Umber and said, "I will speak with your children momentarily." Lord Umber left (though not before scowling at the Tully) and I focused my attention on the man who was related to My Lady.

"You knew my mother?"

Lord Edmure offered me his arm and I took it. "She was older than I, and always glued to Cat, but yes. I knew her. She was the best sister I could ever ask for." His Tully blue eyes examined me before his weathered but still handsome face grimaced. "It's a shame you never got to know her. She grew to be a good woman. I wish there was something more we could've done in the end."

"I doubt there was much anyone could do...So, what brings you to Winterfell?" I bit my lip.

"To see you coming out into society, of course. My father, Lord Hoster Tully, could not make it. I came in his stead. You had all of Riverun up buzzing with excitement when we received word of your party. Of course, my sister would write to us here and there about you, but when we heard that you would be making an official appearance, we knew that we had to come." He stepped away and stood opposite of me, smiling broadly with glistening teeth.

"I see.." I murmured to myself. I wasn't aware that I would be meeting My Lady's family. Aside from the Reed's, I was sure that almost all of these families were going to be Northern. Giving the man a bright smile, I nodded towards My Lady who was dancing with Lord Stark on the floor. "Be sure to say hello to My Lady. I'm sure she'll enjoy seeing her family."

"I already have."

"Oh."

"You're quite beautiful. You look a lot like your father, but you definitely have Seraphine's beauty." My eyes widened and I felt my face heating up.

I wildly waved my hands in front of me. "Oh no! I don't know about that.."

"Your modesty is enchanting." He grinned. Suddenly, Lord Edmure pulled me close and said, "Lady Pyralis, on behalf of my father, if there is ever anything you need or want, do not be afraid to ask it of House Tully. We will be there for you."

I was taken a back by his offer of generosity so much, I began to stutter. I held my hands up in front of me in protest, stepping back a couple of paces. "T-that's r-r-really not n-n-necessary!" I stammered in protest.

"It is, as my father has required me to say this. House Pyralis and House Tully have had a long-standing relationship for years. My father raised your mother, and my sister is raising you. We'll not break our faith with the last Pyralis left."

The older man seemed determined to hold up this long-standing tradition of keeping the faith of friendship between our two houses. Gulping, I replied while staring at my feet, "Thank you for your offer. I will never forget it."

The older man gave me a kind smile, his Tully blue eyes twinkling. "Your mother and father would be very proud of you."

My head snapped up and I bit my lip. "They would?" I choked out, my voice all of a sudden becoming extremely hoarse.

"Very much so."

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

I was finally sitting down and eating something.

I met everyone that needed to be met.

I danced with everyone that asked me to dance.

I acquainted myself with the women and flattered the men.

It was exhausting.

And to my surprise, not every family was the same.

Lord Karstark, was wise and serious. But when he saw me, instead of giving my a kiss on the hand, he gave me a hug. It took me off guard. He looked down at me and said, "There she is, Lady Pyralis. I was looking forward to meeting you. Your father was one of my most trusted friends, as young as he was." He leaned down and whispered into my ear, "Often times he would send me things from his adventures abroad. He was most kind, your father was." The white haired man stood up straight and hit a young man in the chest. "Harrion! Where is your brother?"

The man shrugged and cranes his neck, looking around the room. "It appears that he left."

"Not again!" Grumbled Lord Karstark. "Well, go find him. He must meet Lady Pyralis." I controlled my urge to not snicker into my hand.

After speaking with Domeric once more (this times a more normal conversation about Ethaesper and not about food, Thank the Gods) I had accompanied Lord Bolton to the dance floor. I was uncomfortable the entire time, feeling little under his critical gaze. It probably didn't help that I smacked into him once during the dance and stepped on his feet, all due to nervousness.

The Umbers were as loud and boisterous as their Lord. They all liked to talk about hunting and wars. Even the women, but they were less than impressed by my lack of hunting skills. I enjoyed their Lord, Greatjon Umber. He was kind and loud and had many stories to tell, a few even about my father.

The Cerwyns were cordial, and from what I could gather, stubborn. They had very dry personalities, all only taking about how nice it must be to live in Winterfell with the Starks.

The Hornwoods were all dully ecstatic to be here at Winterfell, though they seemed altogether uninterested in me. They kept their conversations about the how great the hunt is here in the North, compared to down South.

I danced a couple dances with Lord Reed, during which we coordinated when he could teach me to catch frogs. I did my best to put some distance between Jojen and myself though. His knowing smiles made me unsettled in the worst way possible.

I spoke some more with the Manderly's too. When Wylis saw me, he grabbed me and spun me around. "GAH!" I exclaimed as he set me down. "If it isn't that little girl who visited White Harbor, all grown up, I see." My head was spinning slightly, yet I managed to smile at him. "It is nice to see you, Lord Wylis." We talked and danced and he introduced me to his wife and to his brother and his wife. It was probably the most pleasant experience out of all of the families (aside from the Reed's, with whom I enjoyed their carefree attitude towards the traditional decorum of others).

I danced with all of their sons (I even danced with My Lady's brother, Lord Edmure, which was a nicer experience than me dancing with Clay Cerwyn. He stepped on my feet repeatedly.), complemented all of their ladies, and became acquainted with the heads of their Houses.

Now, I was sitting alone, finally able to eat something in peace.

My eyes went to a figure near the back wall, who was making his way through the crowd, leaving the party.

I pushed my way towards the exit where I went outside. Feeling cold and seeing my breath, I ran to the tiltyard, where the sound of steel being sharpened with a whetstone was heard.

Then I saw him.

I knew that the better part of me was warning the stupid part of myself to stay away, but as always, I acted upon the stupid side of myself.

Jon was sitting against the side wall of the barn, sharpening a sword. He didn't look up as he said, "Don't you have to go back to your party?"

 _'Just walk away'._ I told myself. _'No good can come of a confrontation'._

"Why did you do it?" My voice came out trembling a bit. I swallowed any meekness inside, unwilling to let this person view how badly he's hurt me.

Jon's Stark grey eyes looked up at mine and narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"Why did you do it? Why did you break off our courtship?"

Jon went back to sharpening his sword. "We barely had one as I recall...I already told you my reasons. Now leave me be."

I couldn't resist. All of my feelings that has been occupying my mind from the past several weeks came out as the floodgate to them opened wide. "You are so full of shit, Jon!"

Jon's mouth dropped open. He stood up, his sword dropping to the floor, his posture poised to attack. "What did you just say to me?" His gruff voice asked.

"You're full of shit." I repeated more clearly. I walked away from him towards the barn and he followed me, roughly grabbung my shoulder and spinning me around. Jon's jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. "So you think that you can go around talking to people like that, just b-"

"No!" I interjected, pushing him back. "You don't get to speak! I have been in a consistent heartache for weeks all because of you! I did my best to shield it from others, but hide it no longer will I! You're going to listen to every damned thing that I have to say.

I want you to know that I don't believe you or that pathetic excuse you used to stop seeing me! The Jon I know forgives. He doesn't hold things like name calling forever, especially if it happened once. You don't make promises and break them. And you don't hurt people intentionally. I don't know what's going on with you, but I hope that you figure it out. You know why? Because I know my worth, but the real question is, do you know yours?"

"Your worth? You're just a whore who throws herself at anyone who shows her the slightest amount of attention."

My blood started to boil.

I slapped him across the face (shocking both me and him) and started to hit his chest. "You don't mean that! Take it back! I'm not a whore!"

Why would he say this?

It wasn't true!

He knew it.

I've never kissed anyone or held anyone or even had feelings for anyone else besides him

If Jojen was right and he didn't want to do it, why was Jon being so hurtful?

Jon's eyes seemed troubled as I kept hitting him. All of a sudden, he rapidly grabbed my wrists and shoved me against the side wall of the barn, the one well hidden in the shadows. For a moment, he just kept on glaring at me, his face leaning in closely to my own.

I felt my breath hitch as Jon's lips ghosted over my own.

His eyes shut tightly as his mouth came close to mine.

I felt my heart stop beating as his hot breath fell upon me.

He rubbed his nose against mine softly, his forehead pressing to my own.

Ever so gently, his slightly chapped lips grazed over mine, just slightly kissing them. I couldn't help myself. I leaned forward, and kissed him. It was like a force bigger than ourselves pulled us automatically together. A bond so strong and powerful, not even all the beasts in the world could stop us.

For that beautiful moment, I was his, only his alone. And he was mine, only mine.

In the midst of all my heartache, I'd forgotten how amazing it felt to be kissed by Jon Snow.

I pulled on the collar of his leather doublet, fisting the material tightly in my hand, scared of ever letting go. My lips were pressed hard against his, moving in a balanced sway. I ran my fingers through his slicked back curly hair as he pulled me closer.

I never wanted to let go of him. Never. Not in a million years or for a million titles. Not for all the Lannister gold nor for all the extinct dragons.

Jon's eyes remained closed as he held me against him in an embrace, his lips panting softly into my ear. I held him to me as I whispered, "Just be with me. Please... I don't want to be away from you any longer. I'll do whatever you want." He shuddered under my touch as I said this. I nuzzled my face against his. "I want to be with you. And you want to be with me. I know you can feel it. We'll go anywhere if you want. If you lead, I will follow you."

His fingers gripped into my waist tightly and his voice came out strained. "There..would...be...no...honor-", he groaned lowly as if he was fiercely battling himself-,"in...your... suggestion."

I kissed his neck, trailing up to his ear. I whispered to him, "Honor be damned then. I'll be yours and you'll be mine, that's all that will matter."

He brought out another side of me, something foreign, something troubling, something _natrual._

Was my behavior proper? No.

Did I care at this moment in time? No.

I was pleading with him from the depths of my heart and soul. I knew that if he said 'Yes' or, even nodded his head, everything would be alright. There would be no suitors. There would be no parties. There would be no Lady Pyralis.

All would be forgiven and we would have a clean slate.

It would just be Jon and Ophelia.

We wouldn't try to find a way: we **would** find a way to make this work.

And the world would be right.

But he didn't do that.

Suddenly, Jon's eyes snapped open and he pulled back from me. "I hate you. I just want you out of my life." He muttered in a low hissing voice. His eyes bore into mine, one type of fire meeting another.

I was pushed back into reality, whatever spell between us broke.

It was a punch in the gut.

My breath was caught in my throat and my eyes stung with unshed tears.

Once again, he wasn't telling the truth.

And once again, I was fooled and felt my despair take over. Shoving my own feelings deep down, I took in Jon's words and noticed an oddity: There was something more that he wanted to say, but I didn't know what.

How did I notice?

His eyes shifted away for a second, a telltale sign whenever he lies.

Still, I shook my head in denial. "No you don't. Stop lying to yourself, and to me." I shoved him away from me and went back to the Great Hall.

Maybe things between us weren't meant to be...

Just when I thought I couldn't walk into anymore trouble, there was My Lady, scolding Theon, right near the entrance of the Great Hall. Ros was behind him slightly, her hands on his elbows, her face peering out from the side of his arms. She was cowering behind Theon, but knowing Ros, she was doing her absolute best to not show it.

By the Old Gods and the New, what was going on now?!

"You brought a whore? To Ophelia's party?! The gull of it all! See that she leaves at once."

Huh. I guess Robb was right in his sentiments, even if I still didn't agree with him.

I stepped in before my friend could answer.

"My Lady, I invited her."

My Lady gave me a shocked look with wide Tully blue eyes and held a hand over her heart. "Why would you partake in such a vulgar action? This is very unbecoming."

I held my head high, doing my best not to cower in front of the woman who brought me up. "Ros may be a whore, but she is good at heart. You are of the Faith of the Seven, are you not? The Mother has a tender love, forgiving and nurturing. Ros is the same way." Tenderly, I reached out for Ros' hand and pulled her from behind Theon, making her stand next to me. "She is my friend, who has helped me through some incredibly hard times. Show her some compassion! She does not deserve this treatment."

"How did you even meet her?" My Lady sharply inquired. Both Theon and I flinched at the tone of her voice.

"Ros was at my whipping. She gave me Milk of the Poppy so I would not have to endure the pain of my lashes any longer." I honestly admitted to her.

"Ophelia speaks truthfully. There is no fallacy to her statement." Theon said, standing behind us. He didn't know about Ros giving me Milk of the Poppy, but he knew me well. He could see that I was not lying.

"Be that as it may, I cannot allow a prostitute to mingle with the other guests." Her Tully blue eyes glared at Ros. "Please make yourself scarce."

"No-"

Ros squeezed my hand reassuringly. "It's alright, my friend." She bowed before My Lady and mumbled, "I'll leave right now."

Ros gave me a small smile and hugged me, whispering in my ear, "Thank you for allowing me to come. It was more than I could ever hoped for." She nodded respectfully towards My Lady and left.

This wasn't fair!

This was a party thrown for MY nameday, and I couldn't have the one guest I personally invited?

I bit my lip and looked down at the ground, avoiding My Lady's critical stare. "We will speak about this tomorrow. I'm very disappointed with you, in terms of this regard." With a flurry of light blue skirts, My Lady left.

My Lady was disappointed...in me.

I have to admit it...this did not feel good at all.

Theon came into view and his Stormy blue eyes scanned the room, taking in the vast inebriation of the guests. He seemed a bit sheepish as he admitted, "I let it slip aloud that Ros works in a brothel and I did not notice Lady Stark."

"How could you possibly let it slip?!"

"I made a comment about the way Ros was sitting and asked her if she sat on cocks the same way. She replied with 'Only the ones that pay well.' Lady Stark heard it and...here we are."

I frowned and crossed my arms. "I can't believ-you know what? I actually can believe you would do something so idiotic! She was the one person I wanted to be here, the one person I've invited and now you've gone and ruined that for me!"

Theon put a hand on my shoulder and bent down slightly, giving me a look of severe intensity. "I will fix this. I promise."

My eyes took in everyone in high spirits, dancing, talking, singing. I was done and they would not notice if I officially left.

I pushed Theon's hand off of me. I stared at the wall opposite of me and said, "Don't worry about it. It's fine." Theon's face fell and he looked ashamed for a moment, until it disappeared. "Oh really? Are you honestly going to lie to me right now?"

I scratched my arm and stepped away from my friend. "I'm going to go to bed." I said, evading his question. "Good night." I left to go to my room. Once there, I stripped myself of everything and put on my nightgown. Doing my best to ignore the faint noises of celebration from the Great Hall, I eventually drifted off to sleep.

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The next morning, Katherine woke me up. She looked a bit worse for wear, but asides from her red nose, she seemed fine. Throwing the covers off of me, she shook me until I woke up.

"Whazzagoin' on?" I mumbled, rubbing my eyes.

"I've had the other women fill up your tub and set your table. I've also taken the liberty of having some men bring in your presents while you were sleeping." Sitting up, I saw that a pile of presents were in the corner of my room, neatly stacked.

"You should be resting still, Katherine!" I protested. I'd hate it if she didn't get better all because she felt the need to work.

Katherine shook off my comment as she pulled me up and off of my bed. "I am feeling better, no rest is needed."

"But you should-" Katherin cut me off from talking. "Hurry. You must bathe and eat your meal. Lady Stark wishes to see you today, as soon as possible. Those were her instructions

Remembering last night, I felt the blood leave my face.

This would not bode well.

"Is everyone feeling better?" I asked, doing my best to stall from seeing My Lady.

Katherine took off the covers of my bed and shook them, out. "Several people are, still, many are recovering from their illness. Anyway, please hurry. Lady Stark sounded urgent this morning."

Dreading this confrontation, I got naked and bathed myself as Katherine set out my dark green dress for me.

She helped me put it on and then started to lace up the back during which, I took out Ethaesper from her cage and set her in my shoulder.

After hastily plaiting my hair into its usual braided bun and slipping on some shoes, I went to the door.

"Wait you need to eat your meal!"

"You eat it!" I said. I had no room for an appetite. I was about to reprimanded.

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I flinched as My Lady kept raising her voice.

"You should never have invited her! A whore's presence could have offended somebody. Many Lords of importance were there. Their sons and heirs were present-My own family was there! What would they have thought, if they found out about your friend's profession?" My Lady snapped at me. I flinched again.

The last time I was scolded this badly was when I threw a cup at Robb's head. It was right after White Harbor and during supper one night, he had made a comment that I was nothing and just a stupid low-born unimportant orphan that no one wanted around. My response was throwing an empty cup at his head. Lord Stark had to take Robb out of the room and talk to him, while My Lady knelt down to my level and scolded me. After Robb had come back, he looked at me differently and just gave me the silent treatment from there on.

I never knew what Lord Stark had said to him, and I never really wondered about it. At the time, I was more worried about the fact that I had a stern talking to in front of several people.

"It was never my intention to offend anyone." I spoke in a soft voice, keeping my eyes to the ground. I felt so guilty. I hated making My Lady upset. Yet, I needed her to see this from my point of view. "I just wanted a friend present. And no one found out what Ros does for a living, so what's the harm? There's no point in worrying about the 'What Ifs'."

" 'What Ifs' matter, Ophelia!" My Lady looked desperate for me to understand. "You can't just do this sort of thing! People like her don't have the right to be seen or even speak to people like us."

"She is my friend. And people like her? I knew that you hated me associating with people like Jon and Ros but this is-" My Lady interuppted me as her eyes turned into slits.

"And Theon as well."

"And Theon?! He's a Noble too! Why do I need to stop associating with him?!" I felt my heart stop. Stop associating with Theon? That wasn't possible. Ros and Jon I understood (though I didn't agree with) but Theon?! My closest friend?!

"His reputation leaves much to be desired. He's also a Greyjoy and a ward of House Stark. Spending all of your free time with him does not look good." She said sternly as she came closer to me.

"I'm a ward as well!" I shot back at her. "By the very definition, I am a ward. I'm no better than him!" My hands were balled up into fists. If I had nails, I'm sure I would have cuts in my palms.

"Yes, but you were born here", She reminded me in a no-nonsense voice, "You are of the North and he is an Iron Islander. And your mother was my closest friend-" "As Theon is mine!" " The nature of your situations might be similar, but the details of them are vastly different." My Lady did not seem to notice the way my eyes were nearly welling up with frustration.

Ethaesper, who was resting peacefully on my shoulder up until this time, opened her golden eyes and let out sorrowful chirp. She stared at My Lady and let out the chirp again, as if she were echoing my sentiments.

My Lady dismissed my feathery companion. "Not now, Ethaesper!"

"They are my friends. The few that I have in this world." I explained to her. My voice was shaking with emotion and an enormous ball began to form in my throat.

 _'Don't cry!'_ I yelled internally.

"Well perhaps you need to make new friends. You're a Noble now. You can't go around frantenizing with the help."

I felt my temper flare and the ball in my throat dissipated at once.

"It wasn't so long ago that I was the help! If they liked me when I was nothing, and stood by me then, I can count on them more than I can with the people who came into my life only after finding out that I possess the name of Pyralis." A hot tear came down my cheek and I furiously flicked it away.

"Who you are friends with have a much bigger impact than you realize. What sort of connections you create can either make or break depending on the people you associate with. Maybe I have been too lenient with you, and for that I will take blame. But from now on, I expect you to act more like a Lady and less like a heathen, am I understood?

"A heathen? So I'm not allowed to talk to them anymore, all because of connections? All because I'm 'higher' than they are. That's horrible and I won't take part of it." I crossed my arms and Ethaesper stood up straight in my shoulder, staring down at My Lady.

"You will because that's what's expected of you!" My Lady gripped my upper arm tightly and Ethaesper, in defense of me, let out a warning shriek and flapped her wings wildly. My Lady immediately let go.

Ignoring what just happened, I said, "So, I can't be around Ros, Jon, or Theon anymore? Is that what you're saying?"

"Definitely not Ros. However, you may spend time with Theon if Robb or anyone else is present. And I want you to have limited contact with that bastard."

I don't know what compelled me to defend Jon, especially after everything, but I did.

"That bastard's name is Jon and I will speak to him whenever I want!" My Lady's Tully Blue eyes narrowed and she became livid.

"Ophelia Pyralis, do not raise your voice at me. You **will** do what I say." She was using the tone that she used whenever Arya was being defiant.

"I will not!" And I was being just as defiant as Arya.

My Lady rubbed the back of her neck, a habit she did often out of stress, and tried to appeal to my better side. "You have always been obedient and good. Why now are you acting this way? What changed?"

"I love him!" I blurted out. I immediately froze as did she. Ethaesper's eyes widened. She cooed and flapped her wings, flying across the room, and landed on My Lady's desk, not wanting to be apart of the discussion any longer.

 _'Traitor.'_ I scoffed.

Did I love Jon?

Of course I did. But like that? In a romantic way? In a way that a husband loves a wife? Or a wife loves a husband?

Maybe I could have, if we had gotten to have a bit more time together.

"What did you just say?" My Lady's voice was deadly quiet and suddenly, her red hair made me think that it was flames bursting brightly from her head.

I once again, felt like that eight year old girl being scolded in the Great Hall.

"I love them", I said quickly, covering up my original statement, "All of them."

"Your mother never gave anyone this type of trouble! And as obscure as your father was, he would never have put up with this." My Lady was as willing as I was to change this to something else. But I didn't want this new topic to be about how unlike I was to my parents.

"I am not my mother! Stop comparing me to her, to a woman I have never met! Alright?! I can't just make friends instantly and be sociable. I'm also not my father! I am me! I can't just command a room's attention by my mere presence. These people are my people and are they are the only ones I have." I was exasperated, completely fed up with the woman who raised me. I ran my hands through my hair, till they reach the bun at the back of my head.

"Not for long." My Lady stated, as she walked back and forth a couple paces, her dark blue skirts swishing around her like water.

"What do you mean?"

"The party was thrown in your honor as a way to come out into society...and as a way for you to meet eligible young men."

"I know. Theon already told me. You know, that Iron Islander! Pray tell, why is he more honest to me than the woman fed me from her own breast?! Why do you insist on keeping things from me? Both you and Lord Stark!"

"Whatever we choose to tell you is up to us for the remainder of you being in our care." She pinched the bridge of her nose and inhaled deeply through her mouth.

"So that's it then? You'll just trade me off to the highest bidder as if I were chattel!" How dare they?! I know that they were in their full legal right, but really?! As if I hadn't suffered enough, let's just force Ophelia into an arranged marriage. Ophelia wasn't a slave, she was a person. And Ophelia doesn't like this!

Oh great! Now I was starting to refer to myself like Hodor.

"Why are you so offended by this?"

"Because it wasn't so long ago that I knew what it felt like to be looked down upon based on your station in life. I didn't let it bother me most of the time, but when it did...it felt awful. Like I was nothing. Like I am nothing. Now this feels like I am nothing...just some slave to bid off at an auction. My family would not stand for this, neither would my mother!" I knew that using Seraphine as a point in my argument was low. My Lady looked pained and she brought her hand up to her heart, as if to ease tension there.

"Little bird, we have never fought...Not really. So please listen to me. You need to be betrothed and soon, or at least in a suitable courtship. If the King found out that you weren't, he would not be merciful." Oh...so that was why. Well...now I really was nothing.

"So who is it then?" I demanded.

"Who is what?" My Lady was puzzled and she stood up straight near the fire roaring in the hearth.

"Who am I to be married to?" I asked in a clear voice. I was dreading the answer.

My Lady studied me with her intensive gaze for a very long time before she closed her eyes and mumbled, "Lord Stark was ordered to choose your husband for you, but he has felt that in light of everything that's happened recently, he is willing to let you make a suggestion that he will consider."

My mouth dropped open. Maybe somewhere out there, my family was looking out for me. And here I was certain that they would sell me off to someone old and decrepit. "Hold on a moment-he's willing to allow me to choose my husband?"

"In a sense..." My Lady's voice trailed off, as if she thought that this whole thing was a very bad idea.

I knew that I couldn't suggest Jon for many obvious reasons, but still I asked, "Why can't I just get married to someone I already know?"

My Lady shook her head and strided over to me, putting her hands in my shoulders in a comforting way. "No. Ophelia, all the men you already know are unsuitable in some way or another. Really? You can't think of anyone at all that caught your interest last night?"

My face contorted. I couldn't make a decision like this! Not right now at least. I met most of them just the night before! How was I to judge a man by his character only after a short while of talking?This was going to be a recipe for disaster! "This is too much...how can I possibly decide on something as big as this?"

My Lady gave me an understanding smile. She squeezed my shoulder with her left hand and led me to one of the chairs to sit. "That's what I had told Lord Stark, yet he insisted. I did suggest my brother though. He seemed very taken with you."

I resisted the urge to say 'Eww'. "Didn't he know my mother?" I needed to tread carefully, so I did not offend My Lady. True, her brother was nice but...I cringed. He grew up with my _mother._

"Yes. I can see how this must be...uncomfortable, but he has much to offer a woman. Edmure is handsome, and I know that my father would approve of the match." She was rather insistent, I'll give her than. And her intentions meant well but...at least now I understood why my mother rejected as many suitors as she had.

"I don't want to marry someone who is old enough to be my father. And I couldn't care less if he's handsome or not. I prefer intellect over looks." I twiddle with my hands, unable to meet her eyes.

My Lady tapped her chin before she exclaimed, "I know! How about that boy you first danced with? Lord Reed's son. He seemed...charming." I did my best not to laugh as she struggled to find a word to describe the mystical Jojen Reed.

I considered him for a moment before I told her, "I do like him, it's true, but he's Sansa's age."

"You could wait till he's older to marry him. A year or two." My Lady folded her hands on her blue skirted lap and waited for my reply.

"But he's younger than me." I pointed out again.

"Well, some Ladies marry people that are younger. I'm sure you're not the first to marry someone younger nor will you will not be the last." She informed me.

Jon's face flashed in my mind and I felt like I was being unfaithful to him. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

I waited for a moment for this dreadful feeling to go away, but when it didn't I proclaimed, "I don't want to talk about this any longer. I am leaving." I stood up but My Lady halted me from leaving by yanking me down.

"This cannot be put off!"

"Let me go!" I tried to pull myself from her iron grip, but she was constricting me too strongly. "After everything that has happened this year, I have no wish to be in a relationship. Let me have a year or two, please!"

"No! This must be discussed right now. Honestly, Ophelia. What has gotten into you?"

I felt myself getting annoyed at My Lady's unwillingness to hear me out.

"I don't need to discuss this right now! I have no intention to marry." I finally removed myself from her grip, and I held my bruised arm to my chest.

"Either you pick someone out for consideration or I will. Please Ophelia, give me a name- any name!" If it was any other time, I would have been impressed by My Lady's mix of a threat and a plea. But her tone of voice is what caught my attention...she sounded urgent. If the King hated my family (and by extension me) would putting off a suitable engagement give cause to have me punished...or to even be killed?

More importantly though, what would become of the Starks due to my defiance?

Would they suffer the King's wrath too? It already was stressful for them becuase they raised me, but if I were to be defiant, would they be subjected to punishment?

I sat there quietly.

Why was I even fighting it?

I knew that it would eventually come to this.

And who was I holding out for?

Jon didn't want me.

He made that clear last night and several weeks back, and just now, was it fully resonating with me.

He didn't want me.

My eyes stung but I pushed them down. I didn't want My Lady to see me cry over the boy that she's hated since birth.

I thought some more. I wouldn't even have to marry them immediately. First came the courtship, which could take several months. Maybe I could figure out a way to not get married by then? I dismissed this thought, though. No, marriage would be inevitable. I suppose if I did pick someone, some man I chose, I could get to like them, and perhaps, love them...eventually, that is.

"Well? What's it going to be?"

I went through the people I met last night and I came up with the perfect one.

Well, maybe not perfect, but he would do.

He had to.

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I smoothed out my dress and stood up straight.

Here goes nothing.

I knocked on the door three times and a familiar face answered. He was dressed up in a grey shirt and a black doublet. He had on black trousers and sturdy brown boots. His hair was everywhere, as messy as it had been last night when I talked to him. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw me.

"Oh...hello!"

I peered into the room behind him.

No one else was there.

 _"Now remember, I will pass the name onto Lord Stark, but otherwise, I believe he will be pleased with your choice. Our family and his are very close. You should go see him today, and invite him to do something appropriate...something chaperoned mind you. Start to develop somewhat of a friendship and everything else will fall into place."_

 _'This is the inevitable.'_ I reminded myself. _'Time to face it.'_

His hazel eyes looked at me expectantly and I gave him a small smile. "Hi. I just wanted to come by and say thank you for helping me last night."

Torrhen tucked the book he was reading under his arm. "It was nothing."

"Right." I said, tucking a loose piece of hair behind my left ear. "Well, I was wondering...if you're not busy that is, if you would like to accompany me to the Wolfswood? Lord Reed is going to be teaching me how to catch frogs. It could be lots of fun!"

Torrhen seemed surprised and his eyes flickered down to his book. "Well...alright. I suppose I can spare an hour or so." He put the book on his bed and came out into the corridor. He shut the door behind him and held out his arm.

"Shall we then?"

I took it and as we walked to the Wolfswood, I swallowed my feelings of infidelity, all while I thinking, _"I'm sorry, Jon. I'm so sorry. I had no choice. Forgive me."_

 **This chapter took me so long to write! I hope you enjoyed it. :D Next chapter will be an important flashback chapter, since I haven't done one of those in a while. Thanks for your unending support. Please give this a review and tell me what you think. Next chapter: We'll be re-introduced to a crucial character of this story and see what they've been up to all these years. P.S. Let me know in the reviews who you think it'll be. P.S. If we could get this chapter up to 100 reviews, it'd make me so happy! I know you guys can to do it!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi guys! So...this chapter is huge. Kind of a twist. Be prepared. If you need to, reread the first several chapters of the story. Thank you for all of your reviews. The response to Ophelia's party was awesome. And can I just say, WOW! 100 FAVORITES AND 137 FOLLOWS AND 92 REVIEWS! I feel like the luckiest girl alive! Thank you so much! Your feedback to my story and your dedication as readers is what keeps me going. Even the same reviews like 'Great chapter!' Make my day! :)**

 **Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing but House Pyralis and the OC's I make up.**

Unknown P.O.V.

 _I woke up injured._

 _I don't know what happened, one minute I was protecting her, the next, I was gone._

 _Last I heard, she was screaming my name._

 _I didn't know how long I had been out._

 _Seconds?_

 _Minutes?_

 _Hours?_

 _Feeling panic, I tried to sit up but had groaned in pain of my injury instead. Slowly, I came upright from my sprawling position on the ground. I needed to find her. I had to keep my promise to protect and serve. I was bound by oath. He wanted me to protect them both, he even named me as such._

 _I drew a ragged breath as I felt the blood from my wound seep out under my armor and wet my shirt. I needed to get to her._

 _I looked all around me, seeing no one but the ash from burning villages and the grey clouds from the smoke._

 _I had to find her, she needed to raise her house from it's desolation. The fate of it rested upon her shoulders._

 _I grabbed a thicket of branches closest to me, and with a heave, I hoisted myself up._

 _I don't know how I survived so far (or even why) but whoever was up there and watching me had to have some sort of plan in motion. People like me, the low-borns, didn't just survive wounds like this for no reason. I staggered forward, and fell to the base of a tree._

 _If I was going to find her, I had to get rid of my armor. It was bittersweet, this solution, but it had to be done._

 _He had given me this as present._

 _It was right after his first wedding, to that lithe Sothroyos girl, when he clapped me on the back and said in a teasing voice, "Stickler, my friend, you are quite a bore, but I won't complain. Someone needs to keep me in place." That's when he handed me my armor. Seeing my shocked face, he said, "You saved me from a Wyvern. I owe you my life as does my future children, and the future of my House. A proper protector needs proper armor." I was surprised because he had given me such a fine gift. Though I should have known that he would have put a gag on it._

 _Embedded into the metal work was a phoenix carrying a flower, which was a poppy I think._

 _This stemmed from a joke made by Eddard Stark, that if I were to ever have a House of my own, it would be a phoenix...with a flower._

 _I yelped out in pain as I single-handedly (and I do mean this in every sense of the word) removed my armor, piece by piece. I put it in a pile, was now only in my trousers, boots, and shirt. I ripped the middle section of my shirt off, and did my best to tie up the wound. I walked at an aggravatingly slow pace to where she was abducted. I saw the tracks, and decided to follow._

 _Damn sons of whores._

 _They stole my weapon and the money he had given me to get her away from this madness._

 _If- no, **when** I found her, I would stall just a little bit. _

_Find a place to hole up in, until the constant presence of soldiers became scarce. Only then, would it be safe to move her._

 _During this time, maybe I could find Analia._

 _I made a promise to protect her, but what of the other ones?_

 _His uncle? His cousin?_

 _Those three were the only ones left, and if I did not find her in time, the third would have little to no chance of meeting the outside world._

 _Analia._

 _Analia._

 _Analia._

 _She kept me alive._

 _She was the fire that stowed the embers of my heart, igniting the blaze to broaden upon the grassy horizons of my soul._

 _She was my everything and more._

 _Her smile._

 _Her gentleness._

 _Her giving nature._

 _I had no reason to live in a world without her._

 _Before this had started, I had cause to marry her._

 _I hadn't told her this, for fear of rejection, though I did tell her father._

 _He thought I was trying to rise above my station, trying to obtain lands from him and steal his last 'bartering piece' for the sake of a title._

 _Not for any lands nor her title was my intent to wed, but for her. Only her._

 _How could others be so blind, to not see such a vivacious sunlight emitting from one person? If I had not made a vow, I would have found her first, protected her. She was incapable of doing it herself, while her sister could fight off thousands at a time if she had willed it enough._

 _While others had hands to kill, Analia had hands to heal. She was the true essence of what a Phoenix was._

 _Dragons destroy, but the Phoenixheal._

 _They are the gatekeepers to the realm of animals, rulers of the natural kingdom._

 _In the animal world, even the mighty Dragons bow before the everlasting majesty of the Phoenix._

 _I squeezed my eyes tightly._

 _I had to find her. I never told her...how much I loved her._

 _As I trekked on my journey, I came to the side of the road to let some Lannister soldiers pass on by._

 _When they saw me, they slowed down and to a stop._

 _"Oi you!" called the first one upon a white horse. "Where you goin'?"_

 _I turned to them and said in my most desperate voice, "Please! I am from Lannisport, and a solider for Lord Tywin Lannister." Of course this wasn't true, as I was raised right here in the Reach, but they would never know. Lying was amongst my greatest skills._

 _"Where'd your armor go?" asked the other one._

 _"I was ambushed by some deserters. They took everything of mine, save for the clothes off my back and the boots off my feet." I turned to the side and let go of my wound to show them what their fellow soldiers did to me. "They gave me a parting gift, see here? I thought I was dead, but thank the Mother, I awoke."_

 _While solider number one gave me a pitiful look, the other one seemed a bit more skeptical. "Funny. You don't sound like you're from Lannisport." "I served House Lanny since I was a young boy. They did not care much for unrefinement, so I had to educate myself to talk properly. "Well, if you're from Lannisport, what are the three main roads that meet there?"_

 _I was a bit confused. "Roads?" I repeated._

 _The first one spit down some phlegm on the forest floor and nodded._

 _"Let's see...uh...there's the river road..and uh, the, uh ocean road...and the...the...the golden...road?" I did my best to sound frightened and humbled. They bought it and the first one hopped down from his horse, giving me a reluctant smile._

 _"Sorry 'bout that, mate. But with all sorts of scavengers around, you can't be too careful." The man came closer and inspected my shoulder._

 _"Damn...those fuckers really had you on by surprise didn't they?"_

 _"Yeah..."_

 _He went to his saddle and took out some clean cloth and a bottle of rum. "It's not much, but it'll do."_

 _I gave him a thankful look as he ripped my shirt off and started to clean my wound. The second one gave out an exasperated sigh and hopped down from his horse, tying the reins of both beasts to a low branch of a nearby tree. "Oi, Henrick! You think we'll go to Kings Landing next?"_

 _The man cleaning ny shoulder stayed focused and answered, "Probably not. Lord Tywin has all of the men he needs at the moment. We're probably goin' to be sent back home any day now."_

 _Hissing as he worked on cleaning the deep wound, I asked Henrick, "What happened here? I was on my way to Highgarden when the ambush happened."_

 _The second man piped up from the log he was sitting on. "Several groups from different armies invaded here, ours included."_

 _Clenching my teeth, I ground out, "What of the Lords of this place? They put up a good fight."_

 _Henrick snorted as he put down the rum. "Barely. A few stragglers here and there, but it was mostly empty."_

 _I gave out a weak false laugh and said, "Tell me you at least got the head of the Lord here."_

 _Herrick shook his head as he focused on wrapping me up. "'Pparently he already died in battle."_

 _I felt a new wave of guilt and grief wash over me as I remembered witnessing the brutal beheading of my friend from a distance. "That's horrible...now what story are they to sing of you in songs?"_

 _Both men burst into laughter. "None, I suppose." Said Henrick, going behind me to continue wrapping me up._

 _"Some soldier did catch the Lady of the castle."_

 _I had to use every strength within me to not jerk up and become frantic in my questions. "Huh...And is her head mounted on a spike?" I asked cautiously._

 _The second one shrugged. "Don't know. This was 'bout a day and a half ago, when I first heard. Guess she was captured and such. Heard a rumor that she won't be killed though. Henrick here know more why she won't be killed, though."_

 _"She won't be killed because she's a woman?" I asked._

 _"Because she's a traitor." Stated Henrick. He tied up the cloth and came around in front of me, inspecting his work. "Not the best, but until you get a Maester to look at it, it'll have to do."_

 _The second one cane over and handed me a shirt. "Sorry, mate." He looked sheepish as he apologized. "It's my only spare one, but it ain't clean. Better than your old one."_

 _"Thank you." I told him gratefully, wincing as I slipped it on. As I was carefully putting my injured arm through the sleeve, I asked, "You said the woman was a traitor. Who did she betray?"_

 _Henrick was adjusting his saddle when he turned his blonde head towards me. His eyes scanned the perimeter, before he let his guard down. "I don't care if someone fights on one side or another. 'Specially women. But if you choose a side, you best stay loyal to it, or all the fighting would have been for nothin'."_

 _"And what does this have to do with the Lady?"_

 _Henrick looked around to make sure it was safe before he said in a low voice, "So...you know the Targaryens, eh?"_

 _"Well, not personally." I lied. Of course I knew the Targaryens._

 _He leaned in towards my direction and said in a lowered voice, "'Pparently the Prince and Princess from the Mad King are still alive."_

 _I feigned shock. "What?! No! But how?"_

 _Henrick, looking smug that he knew a confidential piece of information (yet the second one looked mildly unsurprised, probably hearing this for the second time), and he stood up straight and shrugged his shoulders. "Can't say. But the Lady of this castle right here knew where they were...and she told King Robert!"_

 _I felt my stomach drop to the floor._

 _I felt the air become tense._

 _I felt my throat become dyer than a Dornish Desert._

 _"She did what?" I asked in low voice._

 _"See! That's what I mean, mate. Even if you are on one side of a war, you best be stickin' to that side. The Gods don't look at disloyalty too fondly."_

 _This information hit me like an arrow to the chest._

 _She had betrayed us._

 _All of us._

 _Her husband, my oldest friend, had given his life for the sake of his family-for her, for Rhaegar, for their unborn child. He had known that the day that he was going to confront Ned Stark in combat, would be the day that he might not ever come back. He had made me promise that if anything were to happen to him, to protect his wife, for she was just as dedicated to the family as he was._

 _Well, the moment she threw her loyalty out the window, was the moment my promise was broken._

 _"And were there others?" The second one had gotten some jerky from the side saddle of his horse and sat back down the log._

 _"Nah. The King ordered the execution of all her family members, 'cept for her course."_

 _I had to sit down._

 _Analia._

 _No..._

 _No..._

 _No..._

 _NO!_

 _She was innocent. Analia was different. She was kind and good. What harm could she have done, being confined to a wheelchair? She was different...why her?_

 _Dropping to my knees instead, I couldn't help myself. I felt the tears do down my face, cutting clear paths in the dirt and grime that was caked onto my skin._

 _"Oi...mate! What's gotten into you?"_

 _I didn't answer him._

 _What was the point?_

 _What was the point of carrying on and living?_

 _She was gone._

 _She died never knowing the extent of my affections for her._

 _I didn't answer and there was a moment of silence before Henrick said in a soft voice, "I 'eard that Lady is prolly goin' North...to the Starks or somethin' like that. She's goin' to give birth there."_

 _"Who the fuck cares?" The second soldier had his cheeks stuffed with jerky and was spitting out bits as he spoke._

 _I took a look at Henrick, who was uneasy as he shifted his brown-eyed gaze from his friend to me. For a brief second, he gave me a strange sort of look before saying, "Don't care nothin'. But if I had betrayed my side for the sake of a child, I would bargain for a better deal."_

 _"What do you mean?" I asked in a gruff voice, wiping my tears with the palms of my hands. Both the soldiers probably thought I had broke down due to my shoulder wound, but neither said anything._

 _"Yeah, and how do you know all of this? You never told me that." The second one swallowed his food and leaned in closely. Henrick gave up trying to keep it a secret as he gave out a loud sigh and sat on the ground. "Garrick, remember how the other day our commander 'ad me go deliver a letter? I went to the campsite and delivered it. When I was leaving, I passed by the tent of the Lady and 'eard everything."_

 _The second soldier, whose name I now knew was Garrick, sat back. "That explains why you knew what you did!"_

 _"Yeah...the Lady said she would be gladly executed, save for her baby who is goin' to be safe and taken care of by the Starks."_

 _The baby._

 _His baby._

 _She didn't want to stay loyal...fine._

 _But her baby...well, he had always said children were innocent._

 _Fuck her._

 _Now, I wouldn't give that bitch water even if she were on fire (though I'm sure that's not an issue for her)...but her child...his child._

 _I will find a way to get them to safety._

 _"A-and what about her?" I inquired curiously. "How long does she have?"_

 _Henrick shrugged. "Don't know. Guess she is gonna die sometime after the babe is birthed."_

 _Garrick hit Henrick on his shoulder as he sat up straight and said, "Henrick, you never finished telling me before we came across this lad, but what did your wife have?"_

 _Henrick's face lit up as he said, "Marietta had a boy, several months back. He's braw and healthy."_

 _Garrick laughed. "That's good. Maybe he can help you out on the boat once he's older."_

 _"Boat?" I was now confused at the turn of this conversation._

 _Garrick let out a hearty laugh, the delight radiating from his dark blue eyes. "Yeah. Bet you didn't know that this one-", he swung his arm over Henrick's shoulder and pinched his cheeks-", is a fisherman." Henrick rolled his eyes and shoved Garrick off of him._

 _"Yeah, I am. At least I'm not a baker though."_

 _I was weary of these men at first, probably due to my time fighting in the war and my already present distaste for anyone wearing Lannister colors, but the more time I spent with them, the more I realized that in the barest essence, these men were me._

 _Low-born._

 _Commoners._

 _What my best friend had called the back and soul of Westeros._

 _We shed our blood for the game that rich Lords' played._

 _Garrick looked at me, still smiling. "And you? What do you do?"_

 _"Groundskeeper." I answered without a beat. This was a half truth. I did do this...before I set off to explore the world._

 _Henrick looked thoughtful for a moment before he said, "You know, I don't got much at home, but ever since my father died, I have needed help."_

 _"Oh no!" Groaned Garrick as he put his hands in his head. "He's trying to rope you in as he did me."_

 _"I couldn't pay you much, barely any, but you could learn the trade and go off on your own. Want to help?"_

 _Learn the trade?_

 _How could I think about something like this before I have even had the chance to grieve properly._

 _However...this could be a distraction._

 _Analia...she couldn't be dead._

 _I was in denial...and the more I put off grieving, the less time I had to think of her._

 _It would also give me time to gather funds and to make a plan to get the child from the Starks._

 _A shot of pain went through my shoulder, and I clutched it._

 _I gave Henrick a grateful look as I said, "I would like that._

 _-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-_

 _The two friends had helped me onto Garricks horse. When we came to their campsite, a train of men were already leaving._

 _Henrick was right. They would be sent home any day and that day was it._

 _Both men kept me company with their witty banter and comedic antics. We, along with about forty other men, made our way to Lannisport. One of the towns on the way there had a Maester, who checked my wound and gave me some salve for it,, and a tonic in case I had gotten any fevers. The old man had no qualms helping out the warriors who fought the war._

 _The night before we arrived at Lannisport, the men were asleep at our makeshift campsite. i was in the woods, taking a walk as I could not sleep._

 _That's when Henrick approached me with a solemn look on his face. "You're not from Lannisport...are you?" He asked in a quiet voice._

 _Hesitantly, I nodded._

 _"You fight for the Targaryens?"_

 _I turned my head towards him and said, "No. I have and always will fight for the name Pyralis." I was not a Pyralis, nor would I ever be one. I had the surname Flowers, courtesy of my bastard grandfather. But I loved the Pyralis' with all my heart. They took me in and cared for me, when my own parents beat me bloody._

 _Henrick stayed silent before he sighed. "You a high-born cunt?"_

 _I chuckled a bit. "No, the farthest thing from it. I am the low-born legitimate grandson of a bastard. They were the groundskeepers for Highgarden. As was I once." It was true...but I hadn't kept any ground up since I was a child._

 _Henrick ran a hand through his thick blonde hair. "Look, mate. I won't tell anyone. I can tell this fuckin' war fucked you over, too."_

 _I gave him a small smile and put a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you...mate."_

 _"Will you still help out on my boat?" He asked me in earnest._

 _"I don't suppose why not."_

 _I stood up from where we were sitting to go for a walk, before Henrick inquired, "Her name...what was her name?"_

 _I turned around sharply and gave him a look that made Henrick wither a bit. "What do you mean?"_

 _"What was the name of the woman that the war took from you?" He asked in a soft voice, unwilling to look anywhere else._

 _I let out a strangled breath. "Analia Pyralis." With that, I turned and left._

 _-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-_

 _Henrick was true to his word._

 _He didn't tell anyone._

 _Not Garrick._

 _Not the other men._

 _Not even his wife, the woman who welcomed me into her house with open arms. As far as everyone knew, I was some random man Henrick and Garrick met at the end of the war, who was kind enough to help out Henrick on his boat._

 _He and his wife let me sleep on a cot in their kitchen. Their house was made up of stone and was small, but the love in it poured out from the windows and into the cobbled street._

 _We were only back a week when we started to develop a routine._

 _I would wake up around the same time as Henrick. We would grab the nets, and go off towards Garrick's bakery where we would buy something for our midday meal._

 _We would make our way to Henrick's boat, and would go out to the middle of the ocean, catching fish and weaving nets._

 _It was only then when Henrick felt it safe to ask me questions._

 _"You're not a gameskeeper, are you? And you're not a groundskeeper, nor do you seem like a Maester. Are you a blacksmith?" He asked me one day as we pulled up a catch of tuna._

 _"No."_

 _"Well...what did you do then?" Henrick open up a barrel and put the tuna in there. I wiped my hands with a cloth before I gave him my honest thoughts. "I was a companion to the young Lord of Highgarden."_

 _Henrick turned red as he said, "Oh...ummm..."_

 _I rolled my lavender eyes and punched his upper shoulder. "Not like that. I travelled with him. We sailed everywhere. He rescued me from my worthless piece of shit father and mother."_

 _Henrick's face became understanding. "I see...well, that explains why you never got sick from the sea on our first rounds...and it explains how you knew about knots."_

 _It was then that he asked me all about my travels. Where I'd been, what I had seen, even who I'd been with. I told him almost everything, for he was an excellent secret keeper._

 _After our time aboard the boat, we would go back to the harbor, carry the barrels of fish to the house, and prepare them for the market, by covering them in rice and salt._

 _Marietta would give us dinner (always some sort of seafood) and then Henrick would spend time with his wife and child as I would take a walk throughout the streets at night._

 _On market day, the last day of each week, we would go out to where all the vendors were and sell fish. We never left until most were sold. Then, we would go to the tavern with Garrick. He and Henrick would drink. I never did though._

 _Then the week would repeat._

 _My sandy hair grew out and became a darker dirty blonde shade and a beard set in, my attitude went from rigid to relaxed, and I felt as if I could breathe for the first time in months._

 _I enjoyed my time with Henrick and his family. It was good for me...and healing for me. The long strenuous duties of being a full-time fisherman got my mind off of the extinct House I once served. It helped me clear my thoughts regarding Analia. And it helped me come to terms with the war._

 _At times though, I could not sleep._

 _All I saw was the bloodshed and the gruesome images from every battle. There were times on the boat, where Henrick would knock something over or make a loud noise, and I would revert into a state of shock or panic. I would think that someone was coming at me with a knife or sword, or more frequently, that it was the soldier who stabbed me. One of these times, I was so distressed, I actually thought that Henrick was trying to attack me. The result of that was me shoving him out of the boat and into the ocean. He came back on after he talked to me from the waters. Henrick was good about calming me down, and this particularly time, we ended up laughing about it. But in all seriousness, after the laughter had died down, Henrick told me a secret of his own._

 _"Sometimes, when Marietta tries to hug me, I think she's trying to attack me." I glanced over at his drying form. His back was hunched over and his face was contorted with guilt. "Because of the war?" I asked. Henrick nodded and ran his hands through his blonde hair, sighing exasperated. "I think she understands...still, it's hard, ain't it? She used to always come up behind me, and give me a warm embrace...now she can't do that, or else I think she's trying to kill me. The first night back, I flipped her over and was about to strangle her, until I heard her voice. She brang me back from the hell I was in."_

 _I later found out that, Garrick had it worse than either Henrick or me. During one particularly nasty battle, he was burned badly from his arms to his torso. He survived obviously, but ever since then, he panics at the sight of fire. Considering that he was a baker, he dealt with fire every day. There would be times when I would go out in the evenings for my walks, when I would see Garrick utside his bakery, with his held in his hands. He would be rocking back and forth, trying to block out the demons that followed him from the battlefield to his home._

 _Henrick eventually told me that it took Garrick fourteen years of being a hard-working stonemason to save up for bakery of his own, and that out of everything in the world, baking was his favorite pastime. Something Garrick had once enjoyed, now became a fear he had to face daily._

 _We all lost something in this war._

 _For some, it was our family._

 _For others, it was our friends._

 _For all, it was pieces of our sanity._

 _The friendship of Garrick and Henrick, these Lannister soldiers I was once so wary of, became my salvation. At one point in my life, I detested anyone wearing the colors of the Lion...now I knew for sure that others were roped into this war against their own free will._

 _Our lives were nothing but pawns for the rich to play with._

 _They did not care what happened to us after the fighting was done._

 _But for the lucky few, we managed the best we could. Throughout my entire life, I will never forget those Golden Days in Lannisport. I would be dead had I not gone there._

 _However, I knew I could not stay there forever._

 _If anyone were to find out who I was though, they would not spare Henrick or his family, or even Garrick._

 _It was a year later, that I had told my friend the troubles that would inevitably come to him, should I stay._

 _Henrick was displeased and disappointed. He liked having me around and as much I enjoyed being around him, but once I informed him of the gravity of the situation, even he couldn't deny it: I had to go._

 _And being the kind man he was, he told me of a few ship captains in Dorne that were searching for competent sailors, recommending that I go there for safety._

 _The last day was hard for me._

 _I had grown used to this routine, but ultimately, I made my deceased friend a promise._

 _I said goodbye to Henrick, and thanked him for his friendship, hospitality, and loyalty. I had also stopped at Garrick's bakery, saying goodbye to him too. I bought some bread for my journey and made my way to Dorne._

 _My journey was uneventful._

 _I did not want to alert the Martells about my presence, so I slipped by without them noticing. I made my way to a small town, where I followed the directions of where to find this sea captain._

 _One day, as I was travelling, I was singing an old song, when someone interuppted me._

 ** _"In the deep part of the forest,_**

 ** _Lies a dragon, made of stone_**

 ** _Sleeps enchanted by the water-",_** _"You have a nice voice."_

 _I turned my head to the side of the road, where a little boy was staring at me from atop of a boulder._

 _"Thank you." I mumbled, walking past him._

 _The little boy jumped down from the giant rock and walked beside me. "I know that song- The Dragon and the Phoenix."_

 _"Good for you." I wasn't in the mood to entertain children. I moved at a quicker pace when the boy said, "For a lover of the Phoenix, you're not exactly gentle."_

 _I stopped in my tracks and glared at the boy behind me. "And what gave you that notion?"_

 _The boy ran up to me. He opened up a small satchel he was carrying and said, "The Spider sent me." He pulled out a rolled up parchment scroll with an unbroken red seal and said, "Fire and Blood. Be careful."_

 _With that, the boy ran off._

 _I looked around me, but the road was empty save for some scattered boulders and sand dunes. I opened up the scroll and read what it said._

 ** _To The Companion of The Late Lord of Highgarden,_**

 ** _In Dorne you'll find_**

 ** _A. Captain merchant now sold_**

 ** _In Braavos you'll find_**

 ** _A House both orange and old._**

 ** _Find them both there_**

 ** _And get them to safety_**

 ** _Retrieve both heirs_**

 ** _For soon someone will chase thee._**

 ** _In the North stirs a creature_**

 ** _A bird of fire and gold_**

 ** _She is healthy, a true beauty to behold._**

 ** _The mother, however, has withered away._**

 ** _The Quiet Wolf guards the baby bird_**

 ** _Whilst keeping all predators at bay._**

 ** _Make haste, make haste!_**

 ** _There is no time to waste._**

 ** _For only you and the wolves will_**

 ** _Protect both the Phoenix and the Dragons_**

 ** _From the hands that can kill._**

 ** _Separate are the places_**

 ** _Of which this family lives_**

 ** _But unified in the duty_**

 ** _That your loyalty surely gives._**

 _"The fuck kind of poem is this?" I grumbled aloud o myself. "It doesn't even rhyme well." Even if the poem was complete bullshit, I knew what The Spider was telling me._

 _In Dorne, there was a merchant in his employ. He_ _wanted me to sail to Braavos with him. The_ _re, I would find the Targaryen heirs and get them to safety. Where the fuck was that though? No where would be safe for them. Even if I took them to the end of Sothroyos, Robert would find them. But as I said before, children were innocent...even if these were the children I was not supposed to protect._

 _The child I was promised to look after was now in the North. A girl. His wife had given birth to a girl. He had wanted a girl. He once said that boys were too much trouble, but girls...they were easier to raise. He had gotten what he wanted. A baby girl. An orphaned baby girl...his wife was dead, but even if this was true, she was safe at the moment. Ned was watching over her. This did give me some relief for I knew that if Eddard was protecting the little one, he would do his absolute best._

 _The last thing I wanted to do was to take care of some Targaryens...but that thought alone didn't stop me from finding the merchant captain who was under The Spider's employ. I gave him the scroll, and then there I was, standing aboard a great Dornish ship sailing to Braavos._

 _At least I was getting paid._

 _I was made the ship's Cooper, spending my time below deck making containers for the goods that had to be stored. Though I wanted to be updeck, I was confined down below, away from the sunlight and fresh air. When we arrived to Braavos, the Captain took me to the safe house, an odd orange house that was slightly rundown._

 _Going inside, I was greeted by the sight of a young woman, holding the baby Princess, and the little Prince, staring out the window._

 _When we entered, the Prince looked up at me and gave me a scowl. "Who are you?"_

 _'What a little shit.' I immediately thought._

 _The disdain must have been evident on my face because the Captain nudged me hard on my upper shoulder._

 _"Your Majesty, I am here to take you to a new home." The Captain looked at me expectantly. Doing my best not to roll my eyes, I bowed before the young royal and murmured, "My Prince, I am a loyal servant of House Pyralis, and by extension you. Please come, for we do no have much time."_

 _The little boy's lip turned into a sneer and his purple eyes narrowed at me. "I am not the Prince! I am the King! My father is dead and my brother is dead. The throne is mine!"_

 _I balled my hands up into fists and tried my best to stay calm. This little boy was spoiled...I wanted nothing more than to bunt the little shit across the room. "Of course, My King. Please, come along."_

 _The little boy looked pleased and didn't even say goodbye to the woman who protected him for the past year. I went to her and gave her a small smile as she handed me the tiny Princess. "Please take care of her...poor thing. She likes drinking goat's milk with honey...she has an affinity for it, I suppose. I also sing to her, in order for her to go to sleep twice a day. Once at noon, the other at night. And the boy...he likes being near his sister, so don't seperate them for too long."_

 _I nodded obediently as the woman handed me the infant Princess. Her violet eyes (smiliar to my own lavender ones) were open and staring at me curiously. She didn't cry or fuss as I carried her away from the home she had been accustomed to living in for her entire life._

 _We took the children to the ship in the dead of night, and there began my new (and unwilling) task of being the keeper of the last Targaryen heirs. I would ferry them from place to place, placing them in the confined quarters of the Cooper's workshop until it was safe for them to go out updeck. The Captain would receive word from The Spider on where to go and when, and we would head over there._

 _To keep my position aboard the ship though, I had to leave the children at times to go away for several months, about four to six months were the average periods I would be away. We told the crew members (the few who were unaware of the royal heirs) that I had a large family, which explained my extended absences from my Cooper duties._

 _At first, I did not mind. Much like fishing, it kept my mind off of the events from the war and all of the lives of my friends that had been lost. The Princess, was a gentle soul. With her large violet eyes and white hair, she started to trail me from the moment she walked. She was a quiet child, rarely talking and always staring at me working whenever we were aboard the ship. I would sing to her the Dragon and the Phoenix every night before bed and every midday before her nap (well, before she became too big for naps). Whenever we arrived at a new place, I had to hold her hand. She would look up at me, as if to ask if this place was a safe place. I would nod and she would let go. The first two months with every place we brang them to, I would stay with them, and help them settle in. Every time I would leave, she stared out the window and would wave to me, and would give me a small sorrowful smile that did not reach up to her sad doleful eyes._

 _The Prince, or "The King", was an entirely different story. I did my best to be patient with him, for he was only a small child, but he was willful and angry and vindictive. I have never seen a child act this way in all my years. Whenever his sister would spend too much time with me, he would yell at her or would strike her. If I were to ever get The Princess something, like a doll or a shawl, he would ruin it. It's not as if I did not get him things, but whatever I tried to give my presents to him, it was never good enough. Many times I would find The Princess upset over her beheaded doll or her ripped shawl or a ruined bracelet. Then the boy would apologize, holding his sister close, and would tell her that if she didn't make him upset, then he would have no reason to ruin her things. Soon, this became normal and what was disturbing, was that the Princess really did believe it was her fault. There were times though, that he truly showed his age. Like, whenever thunder struck hard, he became scared. Or how at times his curiosity would get the better of him and would ask about simple things, like how to tie a certain knot or how stand on his hands._

 _To be honest, the real reason I probably stayed was because of the fact that despite everything, they were children who lost their family._

 _I tried to be their father and their mother, always teaching them whenever I was near them, but it always seemed like there was a wall between us._

 _For them, the wall was me not always being around._

 _For me, the wall was guilt._

 _I started feeling guilty about four years after taking care of the small dragons. These were not the children that I was to take care of. The Prince nor The Princess were the child that I promised my friend I would protect...no, that child was being raised by the Starks in the North of Westeros. This was a secret I kept from my charges...until it wasn't._

 _It was one day that I finally decided to tell the young Prince and Princess about the girl across the Narrow Sea that was their relative. The Phoenix to their Dragon. They had been staying with a rich Pentoshi merchant and his wife for nearly a year now._

 _The girl was eight and the boy was thirteen._

 _To me, they were old enough to understand some of my tale._

 _The young Princess looked up at me from my lap with wide violet eyes as I told her about how there was a young girl her age who was staying with some direwolves in a very cold land. "Is she nice?" The small Princess asked in quiet voice. I shrugged my shoulders. "I have not met her, Little Dragon."_

 _The Prince who was leaning against the wall, looking rather bored, rolled his violet eyes. "Why isn't she with us? She should be with a Targaryen, not a Stark. She should be with family."_

 _"I can have a friend to play with..." The Princess gave me a hopeful smile as she snuggled closely into my arms._

 _"Am I not good enough for you to play with?" Snapped The Prince. The Princess' smile died immediately as she hopped off of my lap and went to her brother. She looked repentful as she took his hand in hers._

 _"No...you are good enough...but...but.." She looked down at the floor, "I just want another girl...my age...to play with me. I hate bothering you when you have other things to do."_

 _The Prince seemed irritated by her statement, but he still pulled her into a comforting hug and said, "And you shall have it, dearest sister." The Prince looked up at me with a frown. "My sister requires a playmate her age and this girl is our only family left...bring her here. We're safe now, so it's good for her to come."_

 _I shook my head as I stood up. "I'm sorry, Your Grace, but I do not believe this is an option."_

 _"I am King and what I say goes! Next time you go out, you will return with her...or you don't return at all." The small Princess gave me a pleading look. "Oh please! Could you? I really want a friend...She would be perfect, I just know it!"_

 _Her eyrd directed unspoken hope towards me, and I knew I was won over. Sighing, I stared at the both of them. "I will do my best."_

 _That night, I left the siblings._

 _It had been eight years since the war, maybe it was safe for her to come with us. The Prince and Princess had not been sent assassins for a long time...perhaps Robert has given up the hunt?_

 _When our ship arrived in Dorne, I had asked for word about the Lord of Winterfell. It wasn't until our ship was in Kings Landing that I heard about him: he would be going to White Harbor very soon. I sent a letter to Eddard Stark, using the seal he had created for me: a Phoenix carrying a flower. Our next port would be White Harbor and I had asked him to come meet me there. I told him that I was a loyal servant of House Pyralis and that it was now safe for the young girl to come with me to Essos, to be with her family._

 _He sent a raven to me, agreeing to speak on one of the more secluded beaches, asking that I come alone._

 _However, we met earlier than expected._

 _We were docked in White Harbor for several days. I was down below, in the Cooper's workshop, when I heard a familiar voice._

 _"And where are you transporting these crates?"_

 _"To the marketplace, My Lord."_

 _"May I look inside?"_

 _"Of course, but I'm afraid you'll only find-" There was aloud splash and then a bloodcurling scream for help emitted from nowhere. Without even thinking about it, I rushed aboard to find everyone exiting the ship. I stood on deck, looking out at the water where the sound of the splash came from, when I saw a young girl emerge from the depths, struggling to stay afloat._

 _That's when I saw her hair...the same as her mother. I knew who the girl was._

 _I ran to the edge of the ship, where I jumped off and swam under the waves._

 _My eyes stung from the water and my lungs thirsted for some air, but I swam deeper until I saw a small purple figure on the seafloor in the distance. I approached her closely, but she screamed, bubble emitting from her mouth. As I grabbed her dress, her nails dug into my hand and scratched me deeply. I winced as I swam upwards towards the surface with her._

 _We came up from the water into the air. She started to cough wildly, choking on the water in her lungs. I heard Ned Stark say, "Grab her!" I offered her up as several men retrieved her by grasping the fabric of her dress and hoist her up._

 _The Captain started to pound on her chest as I lifted myself onto the dock and sloshed next to the girl._

 _I felt a fear inside of me that I never felt before._

 _What if she died?_

 _What would happen then?_

 _To my relief though, she started to cough up water, and I pushed the Captain aside to sit her up, allowing her to spit up the rest of the water trapped inside her body._

 _When she opened her eyes to see who was around her, I saw the eyes of her father and mother: dark crimson. Lord Stark didn't even acknowledge me as he quickly snatched her from my arms and cradled her against his chest. He gave off a fatherly vibe as he held her close._

 _That's when she started to cry loudly. How she sounded when she cried was similar to how The Princess sounded...except this time was like she had been scared out of her wits._

 _As the Lord of White Harbor calmed her down, the poor girl started to hiccup. I looked from her to Lord Stark, who now noticed me and stared at me with intense grey eyes. I stared back at him._

 _It was a look as if to say, 'Don't expose yourself'._

 _"Thank you." A tiny angelic voice that sounded raw spoke up. I focused my gaze on the child I had saved._

 _This was her._

 _I was finally meeting her._

 _She looked so much like her father, like my best friend. Though she had the coloring of her mother in regards to her hair and such, it was like a child copy of her father was staring back at me._

 _This little girl was the one her mother betrayed her family for. This little girl was the one that her father fought for. This little girl was the one The Princess wanted to meet so very badly. This little girl was the one The Prince had asked me to bring to him. This little girl was the one that Eddard Stark was fiercely protecting, evident even now as he held her. She was perfect...much like her aunt._

 _And to think, I was the only one out of her family that got to meet her, even though I wasn't even related to her._

 _I felt tears brim to my eyes._

 _Oh, how her father would have been pleased! She was the very description of what he wanted in a child._

 _I tilted my head to the side and looled at her. She was cold, shivering in the arms of the Warden of the North. She was dripping head to toe. Her chubby cheeks were flushed red and her hands clutched the Northman's first tightly, like she felt just as safe with him. Her eyes reminded me of The Princess, though instead of violet, they were a doleful dark crimson, a sign that the blood of the Phoenix rums through her veins._

 _"Are you okay?" I asked her._

 _She gave me a slight nod, the mahogany braids on the sides of her head bobbing with her. "I was scared. I'm sorry I scratched you."_

 _I felt like chuckling at her meekness, but I pushed it down and gave her a reassuring smile instead. Shrugging nonchalantly, I gestured to the hand where she gave me four deep scratches. "Oh this? This is nothing. I have more scars than what you did. Just another to add to the collection." My mind went to the scar on the palm of my hand and to the scar on my shoulder, along with a few minor ones here or there._

 _Suddenly, the Captain bounded over to me and gave me a hearty slap on the shoulder. "Good job, Mr. Flowers."_

 _I didn't take my eyes off of the Last Phoenix as I responded with a, "Thank you, Captain."_

 _One of the young men in this crowd had been inspecting the water when he said aloud, "What I want to know is how you managed to fall into the water."_

 _After seeing everyone stare at something, I turned my head towards a young boy who was very pale. Another young boy stood beside him and he shuffled away as his friend looked slightly panicked._

 _It turned out that this boy was Lord Stark's son and he had scared the girl so badly, she fell into the water, without any knowledge of how to swim._

 _I tuned out his father yelling at him in front of everyone, only focusing in the small girl in Ned's arms._

 _Then, he turned and walked away from us._

 _I wanted to yell at him and scream at him. What right did he have to take her away? Her father named me her Godfather, I should be the one protecting her, not this man. As honorable as Eddard Stark was, her care and well-being to belonged with me. I travelled with her father, helped her mother...I knew more about the history of the Phoenix than most scholars. What did he know of it? A Direwolf had no place amongst the Dragon and the Phoenix. It was time that she returned to her own people._

 _I made my way to the ship and waited for nightfall._

 _-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-_

 _When the moon was high, and there barely a soul in sight, I took my black cloak and went to the most secluded beach in White Harbor._

 _I waited in the middle, per my instructions._

 _Soon, a lone figure approached me. He took off his hood and gave me a reluctant smile._

 _"Hello, Ned."_

 _Ned greeted me back. We stood apart, facing each other for a moment before he said, "Thank you for saving Ophelia."_

 _I felt the corner of my lips tug up into a smile. "Ophelia?"_

 _Ned's eyes became kind as he thought of his young charge. "Yes. That is her name."_

 _I chuckled as a memory popped into my head. "Ophelia...that's the name Rowtag wanted for her. Seraphine hated it though, she wanted something more regal like Arcania, or to name her Cat, like her friend."_

 _Ned beckoned me towards him and we walked along the shore of the beach together, side by side. "Aye. But when she was born, Seraphine wanted to name her something to honor her Rowtag's memory."_

 _"I like it."_

 _We walked together in silence before Ned stopped and looked at me with his Stark grey eyes. "I thought you were dead." He mumbled quietly._

 _"I can't die...not yet at least. I made a pact, a promise that must be kept."_

 _Ned rubbed the back of his neck as he stared up at the moon. "I know you were close to Rowtag...I liked him as well but-"._

 _I sharply cut him off. "Do you know that he named me her Godfather? Before he died, before you killed him-", I hissed out, "-he named me her Godfather. She belongs to me."_

 _Ned eyebrows furrowed into a glare as he said, "I did what needed to be done. But why? Why now, after all of these years, are you interested in her?"_

 _I stared at the waters beyond the horizon. "It wasn't safe for me. You know that. A Pyralis supporter, I would either be executed or sent to The Wall. What use would I have been then? I kept my head down until the waters had calmed."_

 _Ned's gruff voice snapped my attention back to him. "As smart as your choice was, it doesn't matter. Seraphine named Catelyn her Godmother and Robert named me her Guardian, as did Serphine. I have more of a claim to her than you. Ophelia isn't going anywhere with you."_

 _I felt my anger burst out of my chest. "She will go with me! She doesn't belong in the North, she belongs with her own kind! She belongs with family."_

 _"I am her family." Ned stated coolly. He crossed his arms over his chest as he stared me down._

 _"I have been looking after The Prince and the Princess. They need her over there with them and she needs them. The Phoenix and the Dragon must stay together."_

 _Ned's eyes flashed with concern but his face remained determined. "She's fine where she is, no doubt about that."_

 _"She'll be safe over there." I argued._

 _"She'll be safer with me." He countered. I felt my nose twist up into a snarl and my hands ball up into fists. Ned saw this and gave me a sympathetic look. "I understand...you made a promise, and you want to keep it. But think about this: Robert can't touch her as long as I'm standing. He wouldn't dare. Now, think about the Prince and Princess across the Narrow Sea. How many times did you have to move them to a safer place, only to realize that it was not safe at all?"_

 _My words were caught in my throat as I could not think of a response. Ned knew this as he continued. "Exactly. Not to mention my own family would be endangered should she disappear from my care. The King, no matter how old our friendship is, would not be merciful towards us in that situation."_

 _He spoke logically, but I could feel the desperation cling inside of me. "Please Ned", I was begging him now, "Let me take her. She needs to be with me...with the last of her family."_

 _'I needed her' was what I really wanted to say. I was alone...and there would always be that wall between Daenerys, Viserys, and I. But with Ophelia, the wall would no longer exist. We could become a family, the four of us. We could heal each other. The hole in my heart that Analia and Rowtag left behind could be filled with these children._

 _Ned shook his head. "As I said before, she is with family. She is my child in every way that matters. Catelyn takes care of her, she even nursed her from her own breast when Ophelia was a babe. She is close to my children and is always playing with them. Ophelia...she is good where she is at. She's a very happy child, always smiling about something, always laughing. Winterfell is her home. She was born in the North...she is of the North. If you care for her, if you truly do, don't take her away from the only home she has ever known. It would break her heart."_

 _I staggered back and felt like I had been punched in the stomach. He was right. I doubled over to my knees and held my hands on my legs. "She looks just like him...like Rowtag."_

 _Ned's voice was soft yet painful. "Aye. She does. She's so much like him." I felt the tears overflow down my cheeks and I looked up at Ned. "Please...please...It's what he would have wanted."_

 _Ned shook his head as he backed away from me. "No...he would have wanted her to be safe, and safety is something you can not guarantee. I'm sorry, old friend."_

 _With a shaky breath, I stood up. I wiped my eyes while glancing at Ned and said, "You promise to make sure she is always cared for? Always safe?"_

 _Ned nodded. "Of course."_

 _With a stab to my heart, I whispered, "Keep her then..."_

 _"I know you love her, but I do too."_

 _I turned my back on the Quiet Wolf and started to walk away, stopping when I heard him say, "It was smart of you to use the sigil I made back when we were lads."_

 _"Thank you." I mumbled dejectedly, keeping my eyes focused on the horizon in front of me._

 _There was a brief moment of calm silence before Ned asked, "Wh_ _at will you do now, Gellian?"_

 _I turned slightly towards him before I said, "What I always do: survive."_

 ** _Boom. Ser Gellian Flowers, the Knight of Highgarden, best friend to Rowtag Pyralis, and Ophelia's Secret Godfather is alive and kicking. He survived his shoulder wound and the war (he also has some PTSD and is very alone). He was also the sailor that saved her in White Harbor, was smitten with her aunt, and he is going to play a major role in her story. Additionally revealed in this chapter: Dany knows about Ophelia and Cat is technically her Godmother, not just her Legal Guardian. Tell me what you think! Next Chapter: The initial courting stages between Ophelia and Torrhen, as well as some irritation from her peers. Alright! So Read, Review, and Rest Easy! P.S. Let's get this up to 100 reviews! That's only 8 reviews for this chapter! Please, I know you can do it!_**


	20. Author's Note

Author's Note:

Hey Guys.

I know that I haven't written in a while, and for that I'm honestly sorry. I've been going through a lot right now.

Recently, I went through a miscarriage.

It was hard and painful and I was completely alone during it.

My fiance was away on duty, so he couldn't be here. I thought that maybe when he got back he would come visit me or I could go to his base where he was stationed and we could talk about what happened.

Then it got worse when he came back. He stopped speaking to me for an entire two months before I heard from him again. I thought something bad happened or that he was just out in the field for a long period of time. I called, messaged, texted, but he still didn't respond. When I finally heard back from him...it absolutely broke me heart.

On top of all that mess of me losing the baby, I found out he was cheating on me with some woman who was divorced and already has kids... He told me he moved on and I had to find some guy that "would work for me". When I said no one gets engaged in a couple months, he said that "well, she was my friend and was there for me." Let's be real here people, no one gets engaged in a couple of months "to a friend". She was the the entire time. Well, I was crying and begging with him on the phone and he still did not care... I told him that he was throwing away seven years for some other girl who was temporary but he still didn't listen. He froze me out and so did his family., which was odd considering how they always said I was like a daughter/sister to them (I'm being slightly sarcastic, I know it's not odd). I had to also stop our friends, as well as most of my family members from forming an angry mob and going after him. I wish I meant this as an exaggeration, but I quite literally had to physically stop a veteran friend of mine from going to where my ex was and halt him from attacking him.

I was working and going to school, saving up money to move over to that base where he was. I gave up the chance to go to Scotland and England to make this work, and he didn't care. I was 100% faithful the entire time, he didn't care. I was going to put off my own ambitions and dreams, because working things out with him, mean more to me than anything else. He still didn't care.

My grades took a hit and sunk. I couldn't study or focus with all of this going on. I haven't slept since April 4th (when all of the proverbial shit hit the fan), I lost a lot of weight, and I now have PTSD from my miscarriage, resulting in me not even being able to look at babies without getting triggered.

It's just been hard to write or even read...

I don't know what to do or when the story will be back up...

I'm so sorry.


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